Filed
Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-112708
Pricing Supplement No. 408
(To Prospectus dated April 14, 2004
and Prospectus Supplement dated April 15, 2004)
April 25, 2007
$22,900,000
Minimum Return Equity Appreciation Growth LinkEd Securities Index EAGLES®,
due April 30, 2012, Linked to the S&P 500® Index
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The notes are our unsecured senior notes. |
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We will not pay interest on the notes. |
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At maturity, you will receive the principal amount of the notes plus a supplemental redemption amount, which
will be at least 5.00% of the principal amount of the notes, or $50 per $1,000 principal amount, for a total payment
at maturity of at least $1,050. |
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The supplemental redemption amount will be based primarily upon the performance of the S&P 500®
Index over the term of the notes. We describe how to determine this amount beginning on page PS-4. |
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The notes will mature on April 30, 2012. |
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The notes are issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000. |
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The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
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Per Note |
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Total |
Public offering price |
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100.00 |
% |
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$ |
22,900,000 |
|
Agents commissions |
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3.00 |
% |
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|
687,000 |
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds (before expenses) |
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|
97.00 |
% |
|
$ |
22,213,000 |
|
Our notes are unsecured and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. Our notes are not
guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
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-17.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory
body has approved or disapproved of these notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement,
the accompanying prospectus supplement, or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.
We will deliver the notes in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company on or about April 27, 2007
against payment in immediately available funds.
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Banc of America Securities LLC
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Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. |
Agents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
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SUMMARY |
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PS-3 |
RISK FACTORS |
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PS-17 |
USE OF PROCEEDS |
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PS-23 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES |
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PS-24 |
THE S&P 500® INDEX |
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PS-28 |
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION |
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PS-33 |
NOTICES FOR CERTAIN NON-UNITED STATES INVESTORS |
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PS-33 |
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX SUMMARY |
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PS-34 |
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS |
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PS-40 |
ANNEX A |
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A-1 |
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Index EAGLES® is our federal service mark registration.
Standard & Poors®, S&P®, S&P 500®, Standard & Poors 500,
and 500 are trademarks of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and have been licensed for use by us.
The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Standard & Poors® and
Standard & Poors® makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in
the notes.
PS-2
SUMMARY
This pricing supplement relates only to our notes and does not relate to the securities of any
of the companies comprising the S&P 500® Index. This summary includes questions and
answers that highlight selected information from the accompanying prospectus, prospectus
supplement, and this pricing supplement to help you understand these notes. You should read
carefully the entire prospectus, prospectus supplement, and pricing supplement to understand fully
the terms of the notes, as well as the tax and other considerations important to you in making a
decision about whether to invest in the notes. In particular, you should review carefully the
section in this pricing supplement entitled Risk Factors, which highlights a number of risks, to
determine whether an investment in the notes is appropriate for you. If information in this
pricing supplement is inconsistent with the prospectus or prospectus supplement, this pricing
supplement will supersede those documents.
Certain capitalized terms used and not defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings
ascribed to them in the prospectus supplement and prospectus.
In light of the complexity of the transaction described in this pricing supplement, you are
urged to consult with your own attorneys and business and tax advisors before making a decision to
purchase any of the notes.
The information in this Summary section is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
explanation set forth elsewhere in this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus
supplement and prospectus. You should rely only on the information contained in this pricing
supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, and the prospectus. We have not authorized any
other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Neither we nor any of the selling agents is
making an offer to sell these notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
You should assume that the information in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus
supplement, and prospectus is accurate only as of the date on their respective front covers.
What are the notes?
The notes are senior debt securities issued by Bank of America Corporation and are not secured
by collateral. The notes rank equally with all of our other unsecured senior indebtedness from time
to time outstanding. The notes will mature on April 30, 2012. We cannot redeem the notes at any
earlier date. We will not make any payments on the notes until maturity.
Are the notes equity or debt securities?
The notes are our senior debt securities. However, these notes differ from traditional debt
securities in that you will not receive interest payments and they contain a derivative component.
Instead, at maturity you will receive (a) your principal amount, plus (b) an additional amount
called the Supplemental Redemption Amount, as described below. The notes have been designed for
investors who are willing to forgo market rates of interest on their investment, such as fixed
interest rates paid on conventional non-callable debt securities.
Will you receive your principal at maturity?
Yes. If you hold the notes until maturity, then you will receive your principal amount and a
Supplemental Redemption Amount. However, if you sell the notes prior to maturity, you may find
that the market value of the notes is less than the principal amount of the notes.
PS-3
How much will you receive at maturity?
At maturity, you will receive the principal amount of the notes. You also will receive the
Supplemental Redemption Amount, which will not be less than 5.00% of the principal amount of the
notes at maturity. We call this minimum amount the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount. The
Supplemental Redemption Amount will be based primarily upon the performance of the S&P
500® Index during the term of the notes and will be determined by the calculation agent
in the manner described below.
The calculation agent will determine the Supplemental Redemption Amount payable to you at
maturity by reference to the periodic returns of the S&P 500® Index during the following
20 Reference Periods:
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2007/08 |
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2008/09 |
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2009/10 |
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2010/11 |
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2011/12 |
4/25/07-7/25/07
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4/25/08-7/25/08
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4/25/09-7/25/09
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4/25/10-7/25/10
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4/25/11-7/25/11 |
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7/25/07-10/25/07
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7/25/08-10/25/08
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7/25/09-10/25/09
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7/25/10-10/25/10
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7/25/11-10/25/11 |
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10/25/07-1/25/08
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10/25/08-1/25/09
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10/25/09-1/25/10
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10/25/10-1/25/11
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10/25/11-1/25/12 |
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1/25/08-4/25/08
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1/25/09-4/25/09
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1/25/10-4/25/10
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1/25/11-4/25/11
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1/25/12-4/25/12 |
We priced the notes on April 25, 2007, or the pricing date. The pricing date is the
first day of the first Reference Period.
We refer to the last day of each Reference Period as a Reset Date. On each Reset Date, the
calculation agent will determine the Periodic Return of the S&P 500® Index for the
Reference Period then ended by applying the following formula:
(Ending Level Starting Level)
Starting Level
The result will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth of a decimal place and then expressed
as a percentage.
The Starting Level for the initial Reference Period is the closing level of the S&P
500® Index on the pricing date, or 1,495.42, and the Starting Level for each
subsequent Reference Period is the Ending Level for the immediately preceding Reference Period.
The Ending Level for each Reference Period is the closing level of the S&P 500® Index
on the applicable Reset Date, or if that day is not a business day (as defined below), the closing
level of the S&P 500® Index on the next following business day.
Except for the payment of the principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount
at maturity, you will be exposed to unlimited declines in the Periodic Return for any Reference
Period. On the pricing date, we set a cap of 7.00%, or the Return Cap, which limits any
increases in the Periodic Return of the S&P 500® Index to that rate. For any Reference
Period in which the Periodic Return is greater than the Return Cap, the Periodic Return for that
Reference Period will be deemed to be the Return Cap, and for that Reference Period you will
receive only the benefit of the increase in value up to the Return Cap.
PS-4
The Index Return
After the close of the market on the last Reset Date, the calculation agent will determine the
Supplemental Redemption Amount, which will not be less than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption
Amount, based on the following formula:
Principal Amount x Index Return
The Index Return is the compounded value of the 20 Periodic Returns computed in the
following manner:
[The product of (1.00 + the Periodic Return) for each Reference Period] 1.00
The Index Return will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth and then expressed as a
percentage.
The period of time between the last Reset Date and the maturity date is not part of a
Reference Period, and, therefore, changes in the S&P 500® Index during that period will
not affect the Supplemental Redemption Amount payable to you at maturity. If the calculation of
the Supplemental Redemption Amount results in an amount that is less than the Minimum Supplemental
Redemption Amount, then we will pay you a Supplemental Redemption Amount equal to the Minimum
Supplemental Redemption Amount.
The notes provide less opportunity for appreciation than an investment tied directly to the
performance of the S&P 500® Index because the Return Cap limits the appreciation in the
S&P 500® Index used to calculate the Periodic Return. Because of the Return Cap, the
Index Return cannot be more than 286.97% (a maximum value that represents an increase of the S&P
500® Index up to the Return Cap for each Reference Period).
You should consider the possibility that an investment in the notes will not result in a gain
above the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount even if the level of the S&P 500® Index
increases during one or more Reference Periods, or even if the level of the S&P 500®
Index as of the final scheduled Reset Date is greater than the level of the S&P 500®
Index on the pricing date.
PS-5
Examples
The Index Return depends on the closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of each
Reset Date. Because the closing level of the S&P 500® Index may be subject to
significant variations over the term of the notes, it is not possible to present a chart or table
illustrating a complete range of possible payments on the maturity date. The examples of
hypothetical payment calculations that follow are intended to illustrate the effect of general
trends in the level of the S&P 500® Index on the Supplemental Redemption Amount payable
at maturity for each $1,000 principal amount of the notes. Because these examples are based on
hypothetical assumptions, such as the hypothetical specific closing levels of the S&P
500® Index as of the indicated Reset Dates which may not reflect the actual performance
of the S&P 500® Index during the term of the notes, the returns set forth in the tables
may not reflect the actual returns. Each of the hypothetical examples is based upon:
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the Starting Level of the S&P 500® Index of 1,495.42; |
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the Return Cap of 7.00%; |
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the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount of 5.00% of the principal amount of
notes; and |
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Reference Periods ending on the 25th day of the months indicated. |
In each example set forth below, for any Reference Period where the indicated Periodic Return
is in excess of 7.00%, the Periodic Return for that Reference Period used in the calculation of the
Index Return shall be the Return Cap of 7.00%. The S&P 500® Index levels illustrated in
each example have been rounded to the nearest whole number. The pretax annualized rates of return
in each example assume that the notes were purchased in the original public offering and are
calculated on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months, with annual compounding.
PS-6
Example 1: The closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled Reset
Date is greater than its closing level as of the pricing date, and the appreciation of the S&P
500® Index , or the Periodic Return, is 2.00% (an amount less than the Return
Cap) during each Reference Period throughout the term of the notes:
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2007/08 |
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2008/09 |
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2009/10 |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
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Return |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
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Return |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
|
Return |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
July |
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1,525 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,651 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,787 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
October |
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1,556 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,684 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,823 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
January |
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1,587 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,718 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,859 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
April |
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1,619 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,752 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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1,897 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2010/11 |
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2011/12 |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
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Return |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
|
Return |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
July |
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1,934 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,094 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
October |
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1,973 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,136 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
January |
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2,013 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,179 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
April |
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2,053 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,222 |
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2.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x
(1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x
(1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x
(1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02) x (1.00+0.02)] minus 1.00 = 0.4859 or 48.59%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $1,000.00 x 0.4859 = $485.90
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $485.90 = $1,485.90 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 8.23%
PS-7
Example 2: The closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled Reset
Date is greater than its closing level as of the pricing date, and the appreciation of the S&P
500® Index, or the Periodic Return, is 7.00% (an amount equal to the Return Cap) during
each Reference Period throughout the term of the notes:
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2007/08 |
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2008/09 |
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2009/10 |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
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Return |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
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Return |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
|
Return |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
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Level |
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Return |
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Cap |
July |
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1,600 |
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7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,097 |
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7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,749 |
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7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
October |
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1,712 |
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7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,244 |
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7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2,942 |
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7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
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1,832 |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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2,401 |
|
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|
7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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3,148 |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
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1,960 |
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7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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2,569 |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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3,368 |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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7.00 |
% |
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2010/11 |
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2011/12 |
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Closing |
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Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
3,604 |
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|
7.00 |
% |
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|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
4,724 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
3,856 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
5,054 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
4,126 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
5,408 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
4,415 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
5,787 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07)] minus 1.00 = 2.8697 or 286.97%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $1,000.00 x 2.8697 = $2,869.70
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $2,869.70 = $3,869.70 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 31.02%
PS-8
Example 3: In this example, for the Reference Periods where the Periodic Returns are in
excess of 7.00%, the Periodic Returns for those Reference Periods used in the calculation of the
Index Return shall be the Return Cap of 7.00%. The closing level of the S&P 500® Index
as of the final scheduled Reset Date is greater than its closing level as of the pricing date, and
the appreciation of the S&P 500® Index, or the Periodic Return, is 9.00% (an amount
greater than the Return Cap) during each Reference Period throughout the term of the notes:
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|
2007/08 |
|
2008/09 |
|
2009/10 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,630 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,301 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
3,248 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,777 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,508 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
3,540 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,937 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,734 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
3,859 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
2,111 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,980 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
4,206 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
|
2011/12 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
4,585 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
6,472 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
4,997 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7,054 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
5,447 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7,689 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
5,937 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
8,381 |
|
|
|
9.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07)] minus 1.00 = 2.8697 or 286.97%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $1,000.00 x 2.8697 = $2,869.70
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $2,869.70 = $3,869.70 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 31.02%
PS-9
Example 4: The closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled Reset
Date is less than the closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the pricing date, and
the Periodic Return declined throughout the term of the notes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007/08 |
|
2008/09 |
|
2009/10 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,466 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,352 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,247 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,436 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,325 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,222 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,407 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,298 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,197 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,379 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,272 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,173 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
|
2011/12 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,150 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,061 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,127 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,040 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,104 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,019 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,082 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
998 |
|
|
|
-2.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02)
x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x
(1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x
(1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02) x (1.00+ -0.02)] minus 1.00 = -0.3324 or -33.24%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $50.00, the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $50.00 = $1,050.00 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 0.98%
PS-10
Example 5: The closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled Reset
Date is less than the closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the pricing date, and
the Periodic Return increased in one-half of the Reference Periods and decreased in the other
one-half of the Reference Periods, with the magnitude of the decreases being larger than the
magnitude of the increases:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007/08 |
|
2008/09 |
|
2009/10 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,600 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,097 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,749 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,712 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,244 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,942 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,832 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,401 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,648 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,960 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,569 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
2,383 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
|
2011/12 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
2,145 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,407 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,930 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,737 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,140 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,563 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,026 |
|
|
|
-10.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ -0.10) x
(1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x
(1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10) x (1.00+ -0.10)] minus 1.00 = -0.3141 or -31.41%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $50.00, the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $50.00 = $1,050.00 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 0.98%
PS-11
Example 6: The closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled Reset
Date is greater than the closing level of the S&P 500® Index as of the pricing date, and
the Periodic Return fluctuated during the term of the notes, increasing in one-half of the
Reference Periods and decreasing in the other one-half of the Reference Periods, with the magnitude
of the increases being greater than the magnitude of the decreases:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007/08 |
|
2008/09 |
|
2009/10 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,600 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,653 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,517 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,712 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,769 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,441 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,627 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,681 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,542 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,545 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,597 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,650 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
|
2011/12 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,765 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,824 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,889 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,952 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,794 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,854 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,705 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,761 |
|
|
|
-5.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+0.07) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ -0.05) x (1.00+ -0.05)] minus 1.00 = 0.1778 or 17.78%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $1,000.00 x 0.1778 = $177.80
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $177.80 = $1,177.80 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 3.32%
PS-12
Example 7: In this example, for the Reference Periods where the Periodic Returns are in
excess of 7.00%, the Periodic Returns for those Reference Periods used in the calculation of the
Index Return shall be the Return Cap of 7.00%. The closing level of the S&P 500® Index
as of the final scheduled Reset Date is greater than the closing level of the S&P 500®
Index as of the pricing date, and the Periodic Return fluctuated during the term of the notes,
increasing in three-fourths of the Reference Periods and decreasing in the other one-fourth, with a
wide variance in the magnitude of the increase:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007/08 |
|
2008/09 |
|
2009/10 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,540 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,569 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,598 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,586 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,616 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,646 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,269 |
|
|
|
-20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,293 |
|
|
|
-20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,316 |
|
|
|
-20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,523 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,551 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,580 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
|
2011/12 |
|
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
Closing |
|
Periodic |
|
Return |
|
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
|
Level |
|
Return |
|
Cap |
July |
|
|
1,627 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,657 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
October |
|
|
1,676 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,707 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
January |
|
|
1,341 |
|
|
|
-20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,366 |
|
|
|
-20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
April |
|
|
1,609 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
1,639 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
% |
|
|
7.00 |
% |
Index Return = [(1.00+0.03) x (1.00+0.03) x (1.00+ -0.20) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.03) x
(1.00+0.03) x (1.00+ -0.20) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.03) x (1.00+0.03) x (1.00+ -0.20) x
(1.00+0.07) x (1.00+0.03) x (1.00+0.03) x (1.00+ -0.20) x (1.00+0.07) x (1.00+ 0.03) x
(1.00+0.03) x (1.00+ -0.20) x (1.00+0.07)] minus 1.00 = -0.3824 or -38.24%
Supplemental Redemption Amount = $50.00, the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount
Total payment at maturity = $1,000.00 + $50.00 = $1,050.00 per note
Pretax annualized rate of return: 0.98%
PS-13
Who will determine the Supplemental Redemption Amount and the amounts due at maturity?
A calculation agent will make all the calculations associated with determining the
Supplemental Redemption Amount and the amounts due at maturity. We have appointed our affiliate,
Banc of America Securities LLC, or BAS, to act as calculation agent. See the section entitled
Description of the NotesRole of the Calculation Agent.
Who publishes the S&P 500® Index and what does it measure?
The S&P 500® Index is published by Standard & Poors®, a division of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or S&P®, and is intended to provide an indication of the
pattern of common stock price movement. The level of the S&P 500® Index is based on the
relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a
particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar
companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. The S&P 500® Index is
described further in the section entitled The S&P 500® Index.
How has the S&P 500® Index performed historically?
There has been significant volatility in the S&P 500® Index. The table on page
PS-30 shows the quarterly performance of the S&P 500® Index since the first quarter of
2003. The table in Annex A sets forth the value of the S&P 500® Index for the calendar
quarters from the end of the fourth quarter of 1969 through the first quarter of 2007. However, it
is not possible to accurately predict how the S&P 500® Index or the notes will perform
in the future. Past performance of the S&P 500® Index is not necessarily indicative of
future results for any other period.
How will you be able to find the S&P 500® Index level?
You can obtain the S&P 500® Index level from the Bloomberg Financial®
service under the symbol SPX, the S&P® website, www.standardandpoors.com, as well as
The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times.
Will you have an ownership interest in the stocks that are included in the S&P 500®
Index?
No. An investment in the notes does not entitle you to any ownership interest, including any
voting rights, dividends paid, or other distributions, in the stocks of the companies included in
the S&P 500® Index.
Who are the selling agents for the notes?
Our affiliates, BAS and Banc of America Investment Services, Inc., or BAI, are acting as our
selling agents in connection with this offering and will receive a commission based on the total
principal amount of notes sold. In this capacity, neither of the selling agents is your fiduciary
or advisor, and you should not rely upon any communication from either selling agent in connection
with the notes as investment advice or a recommendation to purchase the notes. You should make
your own investment decision regarding the notes after consulting with your legal, tax, and other
advisors.
PS-14
How are the notes being offered?
BAS and BAI are offering the notes, as selling agents, to selected investors on a best efforts
basis. We have registered the notes with the SEC in the United States. However, we are not
registering the notes for public distribution in any jurisdiction other than the United States.
The selling agents may solicit offers to purchase the notes from non-United States investors in
reliance on available private placement exemptions. See the section entitled Notices for Certain
Non-United States Investors.
Are the notes exchange-traded funds?
No. The notes are not part of an exchange-traded fund. The value of the notes will not rise
or fall at the same rate, or in the same manner, as the S&P 500® Index. We do not
expect the notes to trade with the same volume or liquidity as certain exchange-traded funds.
How are the notes treated for United States federal income tax purposes?
Although the matter is not free from doubt, for United States federal income tax purposes, the
notes should be treated as debt instruments that provide for contingent interest. As a result, the
notes are considered to be issued with original issue discount, or OID. See United States
Federal Income Tax SummaryTax Characterization of the Notes.
You will be required to pay taxes on the notes over their term based upon a comparable yield
for the notes, even though you will not receive any payments until maturity. We have determined
this comparable yield in accordance with regulations issued by the United States Treasury
Department, solely in order for you to determine the amount of taxes that you will owe each year as
a result of your ownership of the notes. This comparable yield is neither a prediction nor a
guarantee of what the actual Supplemental Redemption Amount will be, or whether the actual
Supplemental Redemption Amount will exceed the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount. We have
determined that this comparable yield will equal 5.04% per annum, compounded annually.
Additionally, you generally will be required to recognize ordinary income on any gain realized
on a sale, upon maturity, or upon another disposition of the notes. See the section entitled
United States Federal Income Tax Summary.
If you are a Non-United States Holder, payments on the notes generally will not be subject to
United States federal income or withholding tax, as long as you provide us with the required
completed tax forms.
Will the notes be listed on an exchange?
No. The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange, and a market for them may never
develop.
Can the Reset Dates and the stated maturity date be postponed if a Market Disruption Event occurs?
Yes. If the calculation agent determines that, on any Reset Date, a Market Disruption Event
(as defined below) has occurred or is continuing, that Reset Date will be postponed until the first
business day on which no Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing, but the delay will never
be more than five business days. If a delay occurs, then the calculation agent instead will use
the closing level of the S&P 500® Index on that new Reset Date. If any scheduled Reset
Date is postponed to the last possible day, but a Market Disruption Event
PS-15
occurs or is continuing on that day, that day nevertheless will be the Reset Date. If the
closing level of the S&P 500® Index is not available on that last possible day, either
because of a Market Disruption Event or for any other reason, the calculation agent will make a
good faith estimate of the closing level of the S&P 500® Index based on its assessment,
made in its sole discretion, of the level of the S&P 500® Index at that time. If the
last scheduled Reset Date is postponed due to a Market Disruption Event, the maturity date for the
notes also will be postponed by the same number of business days. See the section entitled
Description of the NotesMarket Disruption.
Does ERISA impose any limitations on purchases of the notes?
Yes. An employee benefit plan subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as ERISA) or a plan that is
subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, including individual
retirement accounts, individual retirement annuities or Keogh plans, or any entity the assets of
which are deemed to be plan assets under the ERISA regulations, should not purchase, hold, and
dispose of the notes unless that plan or entity has determined that its purchase, holding, and
disposition of the notes will not constitute a prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975
of the Code.
Any plan or entity purchasing the notes will be deemed to be representing that it has made
such determination, or that a prohibited transaction class exemption (PTCE) exists.
Are there any risks associated with my investment?
Yes, an investment in the notes is subject to risk. Please refer to the section entitled
Risk Factors in this pricing supplement and page S-3 of the attached prospectus supplement.
PS-16
RISK FACTORS
Your investment in the notes entails significant risks. Your decision to purchase the notes
should be made only after carefully considering the risks of an investment in the notes, including
those discussed below, with your advisors in light of your particular circumstances. The notes are
not an appropriate investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about significant elements of
the notes or financial matters in general.
Your yield may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity.
There will be no periodic payments of interest on the notes as there would be on a conventional
fixed-rate or floating-rate debt security having the same maturity. Instead, the rate of return
primarily is based on the future performance of the S&P 500® Index. We cannot assure
you that the Index Return will be positive. If the Index Return is 5.00% or less, the Supplemental
Redemption Amount to be paid at maturity will be the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount. Under
such circumstances, you will receive only the principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental
Redemption Amount at maturity. Any yield on your investment above the principal amount of your
note may be less than the overall return you would earn if you purchased a conventional debt
security with the same maturity date. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to
you when you consider factors that affect the time value of money.
Your investment return is limited and may be less than a comparable investment in an S&P
500® Index fund or the S&P 500® Index stocks directly. If the level of the
S&P 500® Index declines during any Reference Period during the term of the notes, the
Periodic Return for that Reference Period will be less than zero. The Index Return is based on the
compounded value of the Periodic Returns during the 20 Reference Periods. This has a cumulative
negative effect as the number of negative Periodic Return values increases prior to the maturity
date of the notes. The likelihood that you will receive only the principal amount and the Minimum
Supplemental Redemption Amount increases as the number of negative Periodic Return values increases
and as the decline in the level of the S&P 500® Index in any Reference Period increases.
You may receive only the principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount even if
the level of the S&P 500® Index increases during one or more Reference Periods during
the term of the notes or if the level of the S&P 500® Index as of the final scheduled
Reset Date exceeds its level on the pricing date. In fact, if the S&P 500® Index
declines in any single Reference Period by approximately 70.97% or more, you will receive only the
Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount, regardless of the amount of the increases in the S&P
500® Index in other Reference Periods. In that case, at maturity, you would receive
only the principal amount of the notes and the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount. See the
section entitled Description of the NotesPayment at Maturity; Supplemental Redemption Amount.
In addition, due to the Return Cap, the return on your investment in the notes may not fully
reflect any increase in the market values of the stocks included in the S&P 500® Index.
Finally, a direct investment in an S&P 500® Index fund or the stocks directly would
allow you to receive the full benefit of any appreciation in the price of those shares, as well as
in any dividends paid by or distributions made on those shares.
We cannot assure you that a trading market for the notes will ever develop or be maintained.
We will not list the notes on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the notes will trade
in the secondary market, or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid. The number of
potential buyers of the notes in any secondary market may be limited. BAS currently intends to act
as a market-maker for notes, but it is not required to do so. BAS may discontinue its
market-making activities at any time.
To the extent that BAS engages in any market-making activities, it may bid for or offer notes.
Any price at which BAS may bid for, offer, purchase, or sell any notes may differ from
the values determined by pricing models that may be used by BAS, whether as a result of
PS-17
dealer
discounts, mark-ups, or other transaction costs. These bids, offers, or completed transactions may
affect the prices, if any, at which the notes might otherwise trade in the market.
In addition, if at any time BAS were to cease acting as a market-maker, it is likely that
there would be significantly less liquidity in the secondary market, in which case the price at
which the notes could be sold would likely be lower than if an active market existed.
If you attempt to sell the notes prior to maturity, the market value of the notes, if any, may
be less than the principal amount of the notes. Unlike savings accounts, certificates of deposit,
and other similar investment products, you have no right to redeem the notes prior to maturity. If
you wish to liquidate your investment in the notes prior to maturity, your only option would be to
sell the notes. At that time, there may be a very illiquid market for the 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 the market value of the notes, some of which, but not all, are stated below. Some of
these factors are interrelated in complex ways. As a result, the effect of any one factor may be
offset or magnified by the effect of another factor. The following paragraphs describe the
expected impact on the market value of the notes given a change in a specific factor, assuming all
other conditions remain constant.
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The S&P 500® Index. Because the total amount payable at maturity is tied to
the closing level of the S&P 500® Index on the pricing date and on each of the
Reset Dates, the market value of the notes at any time will depend on the level of the S&P
500® Index. The S&P 500® Index is influenced by the operational
results, creditworthiness, and dividend rates, if any, of the companies represented by the
component stocks of that index, and by complex and interrelated political, economic,
financial, and other factors that affect the capital markets generally, the markets on
which the component stocks of that index are traded, and the market segments of which the
companies represented by those stocks are a part. The policies of S&P®
concerning additions, deletions, and substitutions of the stocks underlying the S&P
500® Index and the manner in which the S&P 500® Index takes account
of certain changes affecting these stocks may affect the level of the S&P 500®
Index. The policies of S&P® with respect to the calculation of the S&P
500® Index also could affect the level of the S&P 500® Index.
S&P® may discontinue or suspend the calculation or dissemination of the S&P
500® Index. Any of these actions could affect the value of the notes. See the
section entitled The S&P 500® Index. It is impossible to predict whether the
level of the S&P 500® Index will rise or fall. |
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Impact of the S&P 500® Index on the Value of the Notes. We anticipate that
the market value of the notes, if any, will depend substantially on the level of the S&P
500® Index as of each Reset Date. Even if the level of the S&P 500®
Index increases after the pricing date, if you are able to sell your notes before the
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 S&P 500® Index
will continue to fluctuate until the Index Return is determined. If you choose to sell
your notes when the level of the S&P 500® Index is less than, or not
sufficiently above, its closing level as of the pricing date, you may receive less than the
principal amount of your notes. Because your return is calculated based upon the Periodic
Returns for each Reference Period, an increase in the level of the S&P 500®
Index in one or more Reference Periods may be offset by a decrease in its level in one or
more other Reference Periods. |
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Volatility of the S&P 500® Index. Volatility is the term used to describe
the size and frequency of market fluctuations. Volatility of the S&P 500® Index
level may affect the
market value of the notes. During recent periods, the S&P 500® Index has been
highly |
PS-18
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volatile. The generally unsettled international environment and related
uncertainties may result in greater market volatility. This volatility may increase the
risk that the Index Return will be zero or negative, thus negatively affecting the market
value of the notes and your yield. |
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Merger and Acquisition Transactions. Some of the stocks included in the S&P
500® Index may be affected by mergers and acquisitions, which can contribute to
the volatility of the S&P 500® Index. As a result of a merger or acquisition,
one or more stocks in the S&P 500® Index may be replaced with a surviving or
acquiring entitys securities. The surviving or acquiring entitys securities may not have
the same characteristics as the stocks originally included in the S&P 500®
Index. |
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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 that affect the stock markets generally, may
affect the levels of the S&P 500® Index and the value of the notes. |
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Interest Rates. We expect that changes in interest rates will affect the trading value
of the notes. In general, if United States interest rates increase, we expect that the
trading value of the notes will decrease and, conversely, if United States interest rates
decrease, we expect that the trading value of the notes will increase. The level of
prevailing interest rates also may affect the United States economy, and, in turn, the
value of the S&P 500® Index. |
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Dividend Yields. In general, if dividend yields on the stocks included in the S&P
500® Index increase, we anticipate that the market value of the notes will
decrease and, conversely, if dividend yields on these stocks decrease, we anticipate that
the market value of the notes will increase. |
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Time to Maturity. As the time remaining to maturity of the notes decreases, the time
premium associated with the notes may decrease. We anticipate that before their maturity,
the notes may have a market value above that which would be expected based on the level of
interest rates and the S&P 500® Index. This difference will reflect a time
premium due to expectations concerning the level of the S&P 500® Index during
the period before the maturity date of the notes. However, as the time remaining to the
maturity of the notes decreases, we expect that this time premium may decrease, lowering
the trading value of the notes. |
In general, assuming all relevant factors are held constant, we anticipate that the effect on
the market value of the notes of a given change in most of the factors listed above will be less if
it occurs later in the term of the notes than if it occurs earlier in the term of the notes.
Changes in our credit ratings are expected to affect the value of the notes. Our credit
ratings are an assessment by ratings agencies of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently,
actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings prior to the maturity date of the notes may
affect the notes trading value. However, because your return on the notes depends upon factors in
addition to our ability to pay our obligations, such as the percentage increase in the level of the
S&P 500® Index during each of the 20 Reference Periods, an improvement in our credit
ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the notes.
Hedging activities may affect the Supplemental Redemption Amount and the market value of the
notes. Hedging activities we or one or more of our affiliates, including
the selling agents, may engage in may affect the level of the S&P 500® Index and,
accordingly,
PS-19
increase or decrease the market value of the notes prior to maturity and the
Supplemental Redemption Amount you would receive at maturity. In addition, we or one or more of
our affiliates, including the selling agents, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short
position in the notes. We or one of our affiliates, including the selling agents, may hold or
resell the notes. Although we have no reason to believe that any of those activities will have a
material impact on the level of the S&P 500® Index, we cannot assure you that these
activities will not affect that level and the market value of the notes prior to maturity or the
Supplemental Redemption Amount payable at maturity.
You have no shareholder rights, no rights to receive any shares of the S&P 500®
Index stocks, and are not entitled to dividends or other distributions on these stocks. The notes
are our debt securities. They are not equity instruments or shares of stock. Investing in the
notes will not make you a holder of any of the S&P 500® Index stocks. You will not have
any voting rights, any rights to receive dividends or other distributions, or any other rights with
respect to those stocks. As a result, the return on your notes may not reflect the return you
would realize if you actually owned the stocks included in the S&P 500® Index 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 any S&P 500® Index stocks.
Although our common stock is a component of the S&P 500® Index, we are not
affiliated with any other S&P 500® Index company and are not responsible for any
disclosure by any other S&P 500® Index company. Neither we nor any of our affiliates,
including the selling agents, assume any responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of any
publicly available information about any other companies represented by the constituent stocks of
the S&P 500® Index or the calculation of the S&P 500® Index. You should make
your own investigation into the S&P 500® Index and the companies represented by its
constituent stocks. See the section entitled The S&P 500® Index below for additional
information about the S&P 500® Index.
None of S&P® or any of its affiliates, or any S&P 500® Index company
other than us is involved in this offering of the notes or has any obligation of any sort with
respect to the notes. As a result, none of those companies has any obligation to take your
interests into consideration for any reason, including taking any corporate actions that might
affect the value of the notes.
Our trading and hedging 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 S&P 500® Index and the S&P 500® Index stocks that are not for your
account or on your behalf. We and our affiliates from time to time may buy or sell the stocks
included in the S&P 500® Index or futures or options contracts on the S&P
500® Index for our own accounts, for business reasons, or in connection with hedging our
obligations under the notes. In addition, we expect to enter into an arrangement with one or more
of our affiliates to hedge the market risks associated with our obligation to pay the amounts due
under the notes. Our affiliates expect to make a profit in connection with this arrangement. We
do not intend to seek competitive bids for this arrangement from unaffiliated parties.
We or our affiliates may enter into these transactions on or prior to the pricing date, in
order to hedge some or all of our anticipated obligations under the notes. This hedging activity
could increase the Starting Level. If this occurs, you would be less likely to receive a
Supplemental Redemption Amount that is greater than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount.
In addition, from time to time during the term of the notes and in connection with the
determination of the Periodic Return, we or our affiliates may enter into additional hedging
transactions or adjust or close out existing hedging transactions. We or our affiliates also
may
PS-20
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 the notes. We or our affiliates
will price these hedging transactions with the intent to realize a profit, considering the risks
inherent in these hedging activities, whether the value of the notes increases or decreases.
However, these hedging activities may result in a profit that is more or less than initially
expected, or could result in a loss.
These trading activities may present a conflict of interest between your interest in your
notes and the interests we and our affiliates may have in our proprietary accounts, in facilitating
transactions, including block trades, for our other customers, and in accounts under our
management. These trading activities, if they influence the level of the S&P 500®
Index, could be adverse to your interests as a beneficial owner of the notes.
Our business activities relating to the S&P 500® Index companies may create
conflicts of interest with you. We and our affiliates, including the selling agents, at present or
in the future, may engage in business with S&P 500® Index companies, including making
loans to, equity investments in, or providing investment banking, asset management, or other
services to those companies, their affiliates, and their competitors. In connection with these
activities, we 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 the S&P 500® Index 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 the notes. Any of these activities may affect the
market value of the notes.
Secondary market prices of the notes may be affected adversely by the inclusion in the
original issuance price of the notes of the selling agents commissions and costs of hedging our
obligations under the notes. Assuming no change in market conditions or any other relevant
factors, the market price, if any, at which a party will be willing to purchase notes in secondary
market transactions likely will be lower than the original issue price. This is because the
original issue price included, and secondary market prices are likely to exclude, commissions paid
for the notes and the potential profit included in the cost of hedging our obligations under the
notes. The price of hedging our obligations was determined by our affiliates with the intention of
realizing a profit. However, because hedging our obligations entails risks and may be influenced
by market forces beyond our control or our affiliates control, these hedging activities may result
in a profit that is more or less than initially expected, or could result in a loss.
There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent. We have the
right to appoint and remove a calculation agent. The determination of the Supplemental Redemption
Amount is a complex process involving a large number of related calculations, some of which may
require the exercise of judgment. Our subsidiary, BAS, is the calculation agent for the notes and,
as such, determines each Starting Level and Ending Level and calculates the Supplemental Redemption
Amount. Under some circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between
BASs status as our subsidiary and its responsibilities as calculation agent. These conflicts
could occur, for instance, in connection with the calculation agents determination as to whether a
Market Disruption Event has occurred, or in connection with judgments that it would be required
to make if the publication of the S&P 500® Index is discontinued. See the sections
entitled Description of the NotesMarket Disruption and Discontinuance of the S&P
500® Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation.
Bank of America employees who purchase the notes must comply with policies that limit their
ability to trade the notes, and that may affect the value of their notes. If
you are our employee or an employee of one of our affiliates, including one of the selling
agents,
PS-21
you may only acquire the notes for investment purposes, and you must comply with all of our
internal policies and procedures. Because these policies and procedures limit the dates and times
that you may effect the transactions in the notes, you may not be able to purchase any of the notes
from us, and your ability to trade or sell any of the notes in any secondary market for the notes
may be limited.
PS-22
USE OF PROCEEDS
We will use the net proceeds we receive from the 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 will use a portion of the net proceeds to hedge our obligations under the notes.
PS-23
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
General
The notes are part of a series of medium-term notes entitled Medium-Term Notes, Series K
issued under the Senior Indenture, as amended and supplemented from time to time. The Senior
Indenture is described more fully in the accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement. The
following description of the notes supplements 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.
The aggregate principal amount of the notes is $22,900,000. The notes are issued in minimum
denominations of $1,000 and whole multiples of $1,000. The notes will mature on April 30, 2012,
but under limited circumstances, which we describe below, the maturity date may be postponed. See
the section entitled Description of the NotesMarket Disruption.
We will not pay interest on the notes.
Prior to maturity, the notes are not redeemable by us or repayable at your option. The notes
are not subject to any sinking fund. Upon the occurrence of an event of default (as defined in the
Senior Indenture), holders of the notes may accelerate the maturity of the notes, as described
under Description of Debt SecuritiesDefaults and Rights of Acceleration in the prospectus. Upon
an event of default, you will be entitled to receive only your principal amount, and you will not
be entitled to payment of any Supplemental Redemption Amount.
The notes will be issued in book-entry form only. The CUSIP number for the notes is 06050
MHD2.
Payment at Maturity; Supplemental Redemption Amount
At maturity, you will be paid the principal amount of the notes and the Supplemental
Redemption Amount, which will not be less than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount.
The calculation agent will determine the Supplemental Redemption Amount by reference to the
Periodic Returns of the S&P 500® Index during the 20 Reference Periods described in the
Summary section above. On each Reset Date, the calculation agent will determine the Periodic
Return of the S&P 500® Index for the Reference Period then ended by applying the
following formula:
(Ending
Level - Starting Level)
Starting Level
The result will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth of a decimal place and then expressed
as a percentage.
The calculation agent will determine the applicable Starting Level and Ending Level for each
Reference Period.
Except for the payment of the principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount
at maturity, you will be exposed to unlimited declines in the Periodic Return for any Reference
Period. However, you will benefit from increases in the Periodic
Return of the S&P 500® Index, but only up to the Return Cap. For any Reference
Period in
PS-24
which the Periodic Return is greater than the Return Cap, the Periodic Return for that
Reference Period will be deemed to be the Return Cap, and for that Reference Period you will
receive only the benefit of the increase in value up to the Return Cap.
After the close of the market on the last Reset Date, the calculation agent will determine the
Supplemental Redemption Amount, which will not be less than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption
Amount payable to you at maturity based on the following formula:
Principal Amount x Index Return
The Index Return is the compounded value of the 20 Periodic Returns computed in the
following manner:
[The product of (1.00 + the Periodic Return) for each Reference Period] 1.00
The Index Return will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth and then expressed as a
percentage.
The notes are principal protected. You are entitled to receive the Minimum Supplemental
Redemption Amount. As a result, if the calculation of the Supplemental Redemption Amount results
in an amount that is less than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount, or if it results in a
negative number because the S&P 500® Index declines, you will receive only your
principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount at maturity.
Market Disruption
Each of the following will be a Market Disruption Event if, in the sole opinion of the
calculation agent, that event materially affects the S&P 500® Index:
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the suspension, material limitation, or absence of the trading of a material number
of stocks included in the S&P 500® Index; |
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the suspension or material limitation of the trading of stocks on one or more stock
exchanges on which stocks included in the S&P 500® Index are quoted; |
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a breakdown or failure in the price and trade reporting systems of the respective
primary markets on which the stocks included in the S&P 500® Index are
quoted, as a result of which the reported trading prices for the affected stocks,
during the last one-half hour before the close of trading in that market, are
materially inaccurate; or |
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the suspension or material limitation of the trading of (a) options or futures
relating to the S&P 500® Index on any options or futures exchanges or (b)
options or futures generally. |
For purposes of determining whether a Market Disruption Event has occurred:
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a limitation on the number of hours or days of trading will not be a Market
Disruption Event if it results from an announced change in the regular business hours
of the relevant exchange; |
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a limitation on trading imposed by reason of the movements in price exceeding the
levels permitted by any relevant exchange will be a Market Disruption Event; |
PS-25
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a decision to permanently discontinue trading in the relevant futures or
options contracts will not constitute a Market Disruption Event; and |
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an absence of trading on an exchange or quotation system will not include any time
when that exchange or quotation system is closed for trading under ordinary
circumstances. |
If a Market Disruption Event occurs or is continuing on a day that would otherwise be a Reset
Date, then the calculation agent instead will use the closing level of the S&P 500®
Index on the first business day after that day on which no Market Disruption Event occurs or is
continuing. In no event, however, will any Reset Date be postponed by more than five business
days. If any Reset Date is postponed to the last possible day, but a Market Disruption Event
occurs or is continuing on that day, that day nevertheless will be the Reset Date, and the
calculation agent will make a good faith estimate of the closing level of the S&P 500®
Index based upon its assessment of the level of the S&P 500® Index at that time. If the
last scheduled Reset Date is postponed due to a Market Disruption Event, the maturity date for the
notes also will be postponed by the same number of business days.
When we refer to a business day, we mean a day that is a business day of the kind described
in the accompanying prospectus supplement but that is not a day on which the principal securities
market (or markets) on which the constituent stocks of the S&P 500® Index are traded is
closed.
Discontinuance of the S&P 500® Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation
If S&P® discontinues publication of the S&P 500® Index and
S&P® or another entity publishes a successor or substitute index that the calculation
agent determines, in its sole discretion, is comparable to the discontinued S&P 500®
Index (the new index being referred to as a Successor Index), then the relevant closing levels
shall be determined by reference to the Successor Index at the close of trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange LLC, The Nasdaq National Market, or the relevant
exchange or market for the constituent stocks of the Successor Index.
If the calculation agent selects a Successor Index, the calculation agent immediately shall
notify us and the trustee of the Senior Indenture, and that trustee will provide written notice of
a change to you within three business days of selection.
If S&P® discontinues publication of the S&P 500® Index, and the
calculation agent determines that no Successor Index is available, then the calculation agent will
notify us and the trustee of the Senior Indenture and shall calculate the appropriate closing
levels. These calculations by the calculation agent will be in accordance with the formula for and
method of calculating the S&P 500® Index last in effect prior to that discontinuance.
If a Successor Index is selected or the calculation agent calculates a level as a substitute for
the S&P 500® Index, that Successor Index or level will be substituted for the S&P
500® Index for all purposes.
If at any time the method of calculating the S&P 500® Index or a Successor Index,
or the level of that index, is changed in a material respect, or if the S&P 500® Index
or a Successor Index in any other way is modified so that it does not, in the opinion of the
calculation agent, fairly represent the level of the S&P 500® Index or the Successor
Index had those changes or modifications not been made, then, from and after that time, the
calculation agent will notify us and the trustee of the Senior Indenture. The calculation agent
will make those calculations and adjustments as, in the good faith judgment of the calculation
agent, may be necessary in order to arrive at a level of a stock index comparable to the S&P
500® Index or the Successor Index, as the case may be, as if those changes or
modifications had not
PS-26
been made, and calculate the closing levels with reference to the S&P 500® Index or
the Successor Index, as adjusted. Accordingly, if the method of calculating the S&P
500® Index or a Successor Index is modified so that the level of that index is a
fraction of what it would have been if it had not been modified (e.g., due to a split in the
index), then the calculation agent shall adjust that index in order to arrive at a level of the S&P
500® Index or the Successor Index as if it had not been modified (e.g., as if the split
had not occurred). The calculation agent also may determine that no adjustment is required by the
modification of the method of calculation.
Role of the Calculation Agent
The calculation agent has the sole discretion to make all determinations regarding the notes,
including determinations regarding the Index Return, the Periodic Return, the Supplemental
Redemption Amount, Market Disruption Events, Successor Indices, and business days. Absent manifest
error, all determinations of the calculation agent will be final and binding on you and us, without
any liability on the part of the calculation agent.
We have initially appointed our affiliate, BAS, as the calculation agent, but we may change
the calculation agent at any time without notifying you.
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 make payments
of the principal amount and the Supplemental Redemption Amount in immediately available funds so
long as the notes are maintained in book-entry form.
Listing
The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
PS-27
THE S&P 500® INDEX
We have obtained all information regarding the S&P 500® Index contained in this
pricing supplement, including its make up, method of calculation, and changes in its components,
from publicly available information. That information reflects the policies of, and is subject to
change by, S&P®. S&P®, which owns the copyright and all other rights to the
S&P 500® Index, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue
publication of, the S&P 500® Index. The consequences of S&P® discontinuing
publication of the S&P 500® Index are discussed in the section entitled Description of
the NotesDiscontinuance of S&P 500® Index; Alteration of Method of Calculation. We do
not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any information relating to the
S&P 500® Index.
The S&P 500® Index is intended to provide an indication of the pattern of common
stock price movement. The calculation of the level of the S&P 500® Index is based on
the relative value of the aggregate market value of the common stocks of 500 companies as of a
particular time compared to the aggregate average market value of the common stocks of 500 similar
companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. As of March 30, 2007, 423
companies, or 85.8% by market capitalization, of the S&P 500® Index companies traded on
the New York Stock Exchange and 77 companies, or 14.2% by market capitalization, of the S&P
500® Index companies traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market. S&P® chooses
companies for inclusion in the S&P 500® Index with the aim of achieving a distribution
by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common
stock population of its Stock Guide Database of over 10,000 companies, which S&P® uses
as an assumed model for the composition of the total market. Relevant criteria employed by
S&P® include the viability of the particular company, the extent to which that company
represents the industry group to which it is assigned, the extent to which the market price of that
companys common stock generally is responsive to changes in the affairs of the respective
industry, and the market value and trading activity of the common stock of that company. As of
March 30, 2007, ten main groups of companies comprise the S&P 500® Index with the number
of companies currently included in each group indicated in parentheses: Consumer Discretionary
(89), Consumer Staples (38), Energy (33), Financials (90), Health Care (54), Industrials (52),
Information Technology (75), Materials (28), Telecommunications Services (9), and Utilities (32).
S&P® from time to time, in its sole discretion, may add companies to, or delete
companies from, the S&P 500® Index to achieve the objectives stated above.
S&P® calculates the S&P 500® Index by reference to the prices of the
constituent stocks of the S&P 500® Index without taking account of the value of
dividends paid on those stocks. As a result, the return on the notes will not reflect the return
you would realize if you actually owned the S&P 500® constituent stocks and received the
dividends paid on those stocks.
Computation of the S&P 500® Index
While S&P® currently employs the following methodology to calculate the S&P
500® Index, no assurance can be given that S&P® will not modify or change
this methodology in a manner that may affect the Supplemental Redemption Amount.
Historically, the market value of any component stock of the S&P 500® Index was
calculated as the product of the market price per share and the number of the then outstanding
shares of such component stock. In March 2005, S&P® began shifting the S&P
500® Index half way from a market capitalization weighted formula to a float-adjusted
formula, before moving the S&P 500® Index to full float adjustment on September 16,
2005. S&P®s criteria for selecting stocks for the S&P 500® Index did not
change by the shift to float adjustment. However, the adjustment affects each companys weight in
the S&P 500® Index.
PS-28
Under float adjustment, the share counts used in calculating the S&P 500® Index
reflect only those shares that are available to investors, not all of a companys outstanding
shares. S&P® defines three groups of shareholders whose holdings are subject to float
adjustment:
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holdings by other publicly traded corporations, venture capital firms, private
equity firms, strategic partners, or leveraged buyout groups; |
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holdings by government entities, including all levels of government in the United
States or foreign countries; and |
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holdings by current or former officers and directors of the company, founders of the
company, or family trusts of officers, directors, or founders, as well as holdings of
trusts, foundations, pension funds, employee stock ownership plans, or other investment
vehicles associated with and controlled by the company. |
However, treasury stock, stock options, restricted shares, equity participation units, warrants,
preferred stock, convertible stock, and rights are not part of the float. In cases where holdings
in a group exceed 10% of the outstanding shares of a company, the holdings of that group are
excluded from the float-adjusted count of shares to be used in the index calculation. Mutual
funds, investment advisory firms, pension funds, or foundations not associated with the company and
investment funds in insurance companies, shares of a United States company traded in Canada as
exchangeable shares, shares that trust beneficiaries may buy or sell without difficulty or
significant additional expense beyond typical brokerage fees, and, if a company has multiple
classes of stock outstanding, shares in an unlisted or non-traded class if such shares are
convertible by shareholders without undue delay and cost, are also part of the float.
For each stock, an investable weight factor (IWF) is calculated by dividing the available
float shares, defined as the total shares outstanding less shares held in one or more of the three
groups listed above where the group holdings exceed 10% of the outstanding shares, by the total
shares outstanding. The float-adjusted index is then calculated by dividing the sum of the IWF
multiplied by both the price and the total shares outstanding for each stock by the index divisor.
For companies with multiple classes of stock, S&P® calculates the weighted average IWF
for each stock using the proportion of the total company market capitalization of each share class
as weights.
The S&P 500® Index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregate methodology: the
level of the S&P 500® Index reflects the total market value of all 500 component stocks
relative to the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. An indexed number is used to represent
the results of this calculation in order to make the value easier to work with and track over time.
The actual total market value of the component stocks during the base period of the years 1941
through 1943 has been set to an indexed value of 10. This is often indicated by the notation
1941-43 = 10. In practice, the daily calculation of the S&P 500® Index is computed by
dividing the total market value of the component stocks by the index divisor. By itself, the
index divisor is an arbitrary number. However, in the context of the calculation of the S&P
500® Index, it serves as a link to the original base period level of the S&P
500® Index. The index divisor keeps the S&P 500® Index comparable over time
and is the manipulation point for all adjustments to the S&P 500® Index, which is index
maintenance.
Index Maintenance
S&P 500® Index maintenance includes monitoring and completing the adjustments for
company additions and deletions, share changes, stock splits, stock dividends, and stock price
adjustments due to company restructuring or spinoffs. Some corporate actions, such as stock
PS-29
splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock
prices of the companies in the S&P 500® Index, and do not require index divisor
adjustments.
To prevent the level of the S&P 500® Index from changing due to corporate actions,
corporate actions which affect the total market value of the S&P 500® Index require an
index divisor adjustment. By adjusting the index divisor for the change in market value, the level
of the S&P 500® Index remains constant and does not reflect the corporate actions of
individual companies in the S&P 500® Index. Index divisor adjustments are made after
the close of trading and after the calculation of the S&P 500® Index closing level.
Changes in a companys shares outstanding of 5.00% or more due to mergers, acquisitions,
public offerings, private placements, tender offers, Dutch auctions, or exchange offers are made as
soon as reasonably possible. All other changes of 5.00% or more (due to, for example, company
stock repurchases, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, subscription rights, conversion of
preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participation units, or other recapitalizations) are made
weekly and are announced on Tuesdays for implementation after the close of trading on Wednesday.
Changes of less than 5.00% are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June,
September, and December, and are usually announced two days prior.
Changes in IWFs of more than ten percentage points caused by corporate actions (such as merger
and acquisition activity, restructurings, or spinoffs) will be made as soon as reasonably possible.
Other changes in IWFs will be made annually, in September, when IWFs are reviewed.
Historical Closing Levels of the S&P 500® Index
Since its inception, the S&P 500® Index has experienced significant fluctuations.
Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the S&P 500® Index during any
period shown below is not an indication that the level of the S&P 500® Index is more or
less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the term of the notes. The historical S&P
500® Index levels do not give an indication of future performance of the S&P
500® Index. We cannot assure you that the future performance of the S&P 500®
Index or the constituent stocks of the S&P® Index will result in holders of the notes
receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of the notes on the maturity date.
The table below sets forth the high, the low, and the last closing levels at the end of each
calendar quarter of the S&P 500® Index since 2003. The closing levels listed in the
table below were obtained from the Bloomberg Financial® service under the symbol SPX,
without independent verification.
PS-30
S&P 500® Index Quarterly Levels
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HIGH |
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LOW |
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CLOSE |
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2003 |
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First Quarter |
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931.66 |
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800.73 |
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848.18 |
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Second Quarter |
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1,011.66 |
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858.48 |
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974.50 |
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Third Quarter |
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1,039.58 |
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965.46 |
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995.97 |
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Fourth Quarter |
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1,111.92 |
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1,018.22 |
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1,111.92 |
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2004 |
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First Quarter |
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1,157.76 |
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1,091.33 |
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1,126.21 |
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Second Quarter |
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1,150.57 |
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1,084.10 |
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1,140.84 |
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Third Quarter |
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1,129.30 |
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1,063.23 |
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1,114.58 |
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Fourth Quarter |
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1,213.55 |
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1,094.81 |
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1,211.92 |
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2005 |
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First Quarter |
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1,225.31 |
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1,163.75 |
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1,180.59 |
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Second Quarter |
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1,216.96 |
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1,137.50 |
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1,191.33 |
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Third Quarter |
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1,245.04 |
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1,194.44 |
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1,228.81 |
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Fourth Quarter |
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1,272.74 |
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1,176.84 |
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1,248.29 |
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2006 |
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First Quarter |
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1,307.25 |
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1,254.78 |
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1,294.83 |
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Second Quarter |
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1,325.76 |
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1,223.69 |
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1,270.20 |
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Third Quarter |
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1,339.15 |
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1,234.49 |
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1,335.85 |
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Fourth Quarter |
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1,427.09 |
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1,331.32 |
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1,418.30 |
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2007 |
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First Quarter |
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1,459.68 |
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1,374.12 |
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1,420.86 |
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Second Quarter (through April 25th) |
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1,495.42 |
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1,424.55 |
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1,495.42 |
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Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels
and trading pattern of the S&P 500® Index. The generally unsettled international
environment and related uncertainties, including the risk of terrorism, may result in financial
markets generally and the S&P 500® Index exhibiting greater volatility than in earlier
periods.
License Agreement
We have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with S&P® providing for the
license to us and certain of our affiliated or subsidiary companies, in exchange for a fee, of the
right to use indices owned and published by S&P® (including the S&P 500®
Index) in connection with certain securities, including the notes.
The license agreement between us and S&P® requires that the following language be
stated in this pricing supplement:
The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P®.
S&P® makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the
owners of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of
investing in securities generally or in the notes particularly or the ability of the
S&P 500® Index to track general stock market performance.
S&P®s only relationship to us is the licensing of certain trademarks and
trade names of S&P® and of the S&P 500® Index which is
determined, composed, and calculated by S&P® without regard to us or the
notes. S&P® has no obligation to take our needs or the needs
PS-31
of holders of the notes into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating
the S&P 500® Index. S&P® is not responsible for and has not
participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the
notes to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the Supplemental
Redemption Amount. S&P® has no obligation or liability in connection
with the administration, marketing, or trading of the notes.
S&P® DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P
500® INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND S&P® SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR
ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. S&P® MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY US, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY
FROM THE USE OF THE S&P 500® INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. S&P® MAKES
NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE S&P 500® INDEX OR ANY DATA
INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P® HAVE
ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST
PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
PS-32
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Our affiliates, BAS and BAI, have been appointed as our selling agents to solicit offers on a
best efforts basis to purchase the notes. The selling agents are parties to the Distribution
Agreement described in the Supplemental Plan of Distribution on page S-25 of the accompanying
prospectus supplement. Each selling agent will receive a commission of 3.00% of the principal
amount of each note sold through its efforts. Each initial purchaser of notes must have an account
with one of the selling agents.
No agent is acting as your fiduciary or advisor, and you should not rely upon any
communication from any agent in connection with the notes as investment advice or a recommendation
to purchase notes. You should make your own investment decision regarding the notes after
consulting with your legal, tax, and other advisors.
BAS and any of our other affiliates may use this pricing supplement, the accompanying
prospectus supplement, and the prospectus in a market-making transaction for any notes after their
initial sale.
NOTICES FOR CERTAIN NON-UNITED STATES INVESTORS
Argentina: We have not made, and will not make, any application to obtain an authorization
from the Comisión Nacional de Valores (the CNV) for the public offering of the notes in
Argentina. The CNV has not approved the notes, the offering, or any document relating to the
offering of the notes. The selling agents have not offered or sold, and will not offer or sell,
any of the notes in Argentina, except in transactions that will not constitute a public offering of
securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Argentine Public Offering Law N° 17,811.
Argentine pension funds and insurance companies may not purchase the notes.
Brazil: The notes have not been registered in Brazil. The Comissão de Valores Mobiliários of
Brazil has not approved the notes, the offering, nor any document relating to the offering of the
notes, including this pricing supplement. Neither the notes nor the offering have been registered
with the Comissão de Valores Mobiliários in Brazil. Persons wishing to offer or acquire the notes
within Brazil should consult with their own counsel as to the applicability of registration
requirements or any exemption therefrom, and such persons are solely responsible for compliance
with the requirements of Brazilian law applicable to the remittance of funds outside Brazil in
connection with any such transaction, including any applicable tax and exchange control laws. No
action should be taken by such persons that would result in the offering of the notes being deemed
a public offering under Brazilian law. In addition, any resale of the notes must be made in a
manner that will not constitute a public offering in Brazil. This offering is not being made to
any Brazilian financial institution, pension fund, insurance company, or capitalization company.
Chile: The notes have not been registered with the Superintendency of Securities and
Insurance of Chile, and the notes may not be publicly offered in Chile, within the meaning of
Chilean Law.
Mexico: The notes have not been registered under the Mexican Securities Market Law or
recorded in the Mexican National Securities Registry. No action may be taken in Mexico that would
render the offering of the notes a public offering in Mexico. No Mexican regulatory authority has
approved or disapproved of the notes or passed on our solvency. In addition, any
resale of the notes must be made in a manner that will not constitute a public offering in
Mexico.
PS-33
Taiwan: The notes may not be issued, sold, or publicly offered in Taiwan. No subscription or
other offer to purchase the notes shall be binding on us until received and accepted by us, BAS, or
BAI outside of Taiwan (the Place of Acceptance), and the purchase/sale contract arising therefrom
shall be deemed a contract entered into in the Place of Acceptance.
Uruguay: The notes have not been registered under the Uruguayan Securities Market Law or
recorded in the Uruguayan Central Bank. No action may be taken in Uruguay that would render the
offering of the notes a public offering in Uruguay. No Uruguayan regulatory authority has approved
the notes or passed on our solvency. In addition, any resale of the notes must be made in a manner
that will not constitute a public offering in Uruguay.
Venezuela: The notes have not been registered with the Comisión Nacional de Valores of
Venezuela and are not being publicly offered in Venezuela. No document relating to the offering of
the notes, including this pricing supplement, shall be deemed to constitute an offer of securities
or an offer or the rendering of any investment advice or securities brokerage services in
Venezuela. Investors wishing to acquire the notes may use only funds located outside of Venezuela.
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX SUMMARY
The following summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences of the
purchase, ownership, and disposition of the notes is based upon laws, regulations, rulings, and
decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change (including changes in effective dates)
or possible differing interpretations. It deals only with initial purchasers of the notes who hold
notes as capital assets and does not deal with persons in special tax situations, such as financial
institutions, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, dealers in securities or
currencies, tax-exempt entities, persons holding notes in a tax-deferred or tax-advantaged account,
persons holding notes as a hedge, a position in a straddle or as part of a conversion
transaction for tax purposes, or persons who are required to mark-to-market for tax purposes. You
must consult your own tax advisors concerning the application of United States federal income tax
laws to your particular situation as well as any consequences of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the notes arising under the laws of any other jurisdiction.
As used in this pricing supplement, the term United States Holder means a beneficial owner
of a note that is for United States federal income tax purposes (1) an individual who is a citizen
or resident of the United States, (2) an entity which is a corporation or a partnership for United
States federal income tax purposes created or organized in or under the laws of the United States
or of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia (other than a partnership that is
not treated as a United States person under any applicable Treasury regulations), (3) an estate the
income of which is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of its source, (4) a
trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the
administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust, or (5) any other person whose income or gain with respect to
the notes is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, to the extent provided in Treasury regulations, certain
trusts in existence on August 20, 1996, and treated as United States persons prior to that date,
that elect to continue to be treated as United States persons also will be United States Holders.
A Non-United States Holder is a holder that is not a United States Holder.
PS-34
Tax Characterization of the Notes
There are no statutory provisions, regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions
addressing the characterization, for United States federal income tax purposes, of the notes or
other instruments with terms substantially the same as the notes. However, although the matter is
not free from doubt, under current law, each note should be treated as a debt instrument for United
States federal income tax purposes. We currently intend to treat the notes as debt instruments for
United States federal income tax purposes and, where required, intend to file information returns
with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in accordance with such treatment, in the absence of any
change or clarification in the law, by regulation or otherwise, requiring a different
characterization of the notes. You should be aware, however, that the IRS is not bound by our
characterization of the notes as indebtedness and the IRS could possibly take a different position
as to the proper characterization of the notes for United States federal income tax purposes. If
the notes are not in fact treated as debt instruments for United States federal income tax
purposes, then the United States federal income tax treatment of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the notes could differ materially from the treatment discussed below with the result
that the timing and character of income, gain, or loss recognized in respect of a note could differ
materially from the timing and character of income, gain, or loss recognized in respect of a note
had the notes in fact been treated as debt instruments for United States federal income tax
purposes.
United States Holders Income Tax Considerations
Interest and Original Issue Discount
The amount payable on the notes at maturity will depend on the performance of the S&P
500® Index. Accordingly, the notes will be treated as contingent payment debt
instruments for United States federal income tax purposes subject to taxation under the
noncontingent bond method. As a result, the notes generally will be subject to the OID provisions
of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued under the Code. Under applicable Treasury
regulations, a United States Holder will be required to report OID or interest income based on a
comparable yield and a projected payment schedule, as described below, established by us for
determining interest accruals and adjustments with respect to a note. A United States Holder which
does not use the comparable yield and follow the projected payment schedule to calculate its
OID and interest income on a note must timely disclose and justify the use of other estimates to
the IRS.
A comparable yield with respect to a contingent payment debt instrument generally is the
yield at which we could issue a fixed-rate debt instrument with terms similar to those of the
contingent payment debt instrument (taking into account for this purpose the level of
subordination, term, timing of payments, and general market conditions, but ignoring any
adjustments for liquidity or the riskiness of the contingencies with respect to the debt
instrument). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a comparable yield must not be less than the
applicable United States federal rate based on the overall maturity of the debt instrument.
A projected payment schedule with respect to a contingent payment debt instrument generally
is a series of expected payments, the amount and timing of which would produce a yield to maturity
on that debt instrument equal to the comparable yield. In the case of the notes, the projected
payment schedule consists of a single payment at maturity, which includes the principal amount and
a projection for tax purposes of the Supplemental Redemption Amount. We have determined that the
projected payment schedule for each $1,000 principal amount of the notes would consist of the
payment on the maturity date of the principal amount of $1,000 and a projected Supplemental
Redemption Amount equal to $279.26, for a total of $1,279.26. This payment represents a comparable
yield on the notes equal to 5.04% compounded annually. See Tax Accrual Table. You should be
aware that
PS-35
this amount is not calculated or provided for any purposes other than the determination of a
United States Holders interest accruals and adjustments with respect to the notes for United
States federal income tax purposes. We make no representations regarding the actual amounts of
payments on the notes, except with respect to the principal amount and the Minimum Supplemental
Redemption Amount.
Based on the comparable yield and the projected payment schedule of the notes, a United States
Holder of a note (regardless of accounting method) generally will be required to accrue as OID the
sum of the daily portions of interest on the note for each day in the taxable year on which the
holder held the note, adjusted upward or downward to reflect the difference, if any, between the
actual and projected amount of any contingent payments on the note, as set forth below. The daily
portions of interest for a note are determined by allocating to each day in an accrual period the
ratable portion of interest on the note that accrues in the accrual period. The amount of interest
on a note that accrues in an accrual period is the product of the comparable yield on the note
(adjusted to reflect the length of the accrual period) and the adjusted issue price of the note at
the beginning of the accrual period. The adjusted issue price of a note at the beginning of the
first accrual period will equal its issue price and for any subsequent accrual period will be (1)
the sum of the issue price of the note and any interest previously accrued on the note by a holder
(disregarding any positive or negative adjustments) minus (2) the amount of any projected payments
on the note for previous accrual periods. The issue price of each note in an issue of notes is the
first price at which a substantial amount of those notes has been sold (including any premium paid
for those notes and ignoring sales to bond houses, brokers, or similar persons or organizations
acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents, or wholesalers). Because of the
application of the OID rules, a United States Holder of a note will be required to include in
income OID in excess of actual cash payments received for certain taxable years.
A United States Holder will be required to recognize interest income equal to the amount of
any positive adjustment (i.e., the excess of actual payments over the projected contingent
payments) for a note for the taxable year in which a contingent payment is paid. A negative
adjustment (i.e., the excess of projected contingent payments over actual payments) for a note for
the taxable year in which a contingent payment is paid (1) will first reduce the amount of interest
for the note that a United States Holder would otherwise be required to include in income in the
taxable year and (2) to the extent of any excess, will give rise to an ordinary loss equal to that
portion of the excess as does not exceed the excess of (A) the amount of all previous interest
inclusions under the note over (B) the total amount of the United States Holders net negative
adjustments treated as ordinary loss on the note in prior taxable years. A net negative adjustment
is not subject to the 2% floor limitation imposed on miscellaneous deductions under Section 67 of
the Code. Any negative adjustment in excess of the amounts described above in (1) and (2) will be
carried forward to offset future interest income for the note or to reduce the amount realized on a
sale, exchange, or retirement of the note. Where a United States Holder purchases a note at a
price other than its issue price, the difference between the purchase price and the issue price
generally will be treated as a positive or negative adjustment, as the case may be, and allocated
to the daily portions of interest or projected payments for the note. If you purchase a note in a
transaction after the initial issuance of the notes, you should consult your tax advisors for
additional guidance in making these adjustments.
If a contingent payment becomes fixed more than six months prior to maturity, a positive or
negative adjustment, as appropriate, is made to reflect the difference between the present value of
the amount that is fixed and the present value of the projected amount. A similar adjustment may
be appropriate in some circumstances for the notes. For example, it may be possible to determine,
based on the decline of the S&P 500® Index in one or more Reference Periods, that the
Supplemental Redemption Amount will be no more than the Minimum Supplemental Redemption Amount,
regardless of whether the S&P 500® Index
PS-36
increases in subsequent Reference Periods. In that case, assuming more than six months remain
prior to maturity, a negative adjustment would be made to reflect the difference between the
present value of the principal amount of the notes and the present value of the projected amounts.
Moreover, on any Reset Date it may be possible to determine that the amount payable at maturity
will be less than the projected payment amount, even though the amount payable on the notes will
not become fixed prior to the last Reset Date. In that circumstance, the IRS may deem it
appropriate to adjust (using the methodology described above or another methodology) the amount of
interest income a United States Holder would be required to recognize in a particular taxable year
for a note. However, until the IRS sets forth rules dealing with that situation, we do not intend
to make any of these adjustments.
Tax Accrual Table
The table below sets forth the following information with respect to each $1,000 principal
amount of the notes for each of the indicated accrual periods through the maturity date of the
notes:
|
|
|
the adjusted issue price at the beginning of the accrual period; |
|
|
|
|
the amount of interest deemed to have accrued during the accrual period; and |
|
|
|
|
the total amount of interest deemed to have accrued from the original issue date
through the end of the accrual period. |
The table is based upon a projected payment schedule for the notes (including a comparable
yield equal to 5.04% per annum (compounded annually)) that we established for the notes. The table
reflects the expected issuance of the notes on April 27, 2007 and the scheduled maturity date of
April 30, 2012. This information is provided solely for tax purposes, and we make no
representations or predictions as to what the actual Supplemental Redemption Amount will be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Interest |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deemed |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
to Have Accrued |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
from Original |
|
|
Adjusted Issue |
|
Interest Deemed to Accrue |
|
Issue Date |
|
|
Price at Beginning |
|
on the Notes During |
|
as of End of |
Accrual Period |
|
of Accrual Period |
|
Accrual Period(1) |
|
Accrual Period |
April 27, 2007 through December 31, 2007 |
|
$ |
1,000.00 |
|
|
$ |
34.16 |
|
|
$ |
34.16 |
|
January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 |
|
$ |
1,034.16 |
|
|
$ |
52.12 |
|
|
$ |
86.28 |
|
January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 |
|
$ |
1,086.28 |
|
|
$ |
54.75 |
|
|
$ |
141.03 |
|
January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 |
|
$ |
1,141.03 |
|
|
$ |
57.51 |
|
|
$ |
198.54 |
|
January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 |
|
$ |
1,198.54 |
|
|
$ |
60.41 |
|
|
$ |
258.94 |
|
January 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012 |
|
$ |
1,258.94 |
|
|
$ |
20.31 |
|
|
$ |
279.26 |
|
|
|
|
Final Adjusted Issue Price = $1,279.26 per $1,000 principal amount of notes. |
|
(1) |
|
Represents the adjusted issue price at the beginning of the accrual period
multiplied by the comparable yield for the accrual period. |
Sale, Exchange, or Retirement
Upon a sale, exchange, or retirement of a note, a United States Holder generally will
recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale,
exchange, or retirement and that holders tax basis in the note. A United States Holders tax
basis in a note generally will equal the cost of that note, increased by the amount of interest
PS-37
income previously accrued by the holder for that note (disregarding any positive or negative
adjustments). A United States Holder generally will treat any gain as interest income, and will
treat any loss as ordinary loss to the extent of the excess of previous interest inclusions over
the total negative adjustments previously taken into account as ordinary losses, and the balance as
long-term or short-term capital loss (depending upon the United States Holders holding period for
the note). The deductibility of capital losses by a United States Holder is subject to
limitations.
Backup Withholding and Reporting
Generally, payments of principal and interest, and the accrual of OID, with respect to the
notes will be subject to information reporting and possibly to backup withholding. Information
reporting means that the payment is required to be reported to the holder of the notes and the IRS.
Backup withholding means that we are required to collect and deposit a portion of the payment with
the IRS as a tax payment on your behalf. Backup withholding will be imposed at a rate of 28%.
This rate is scheduled to increase to 31% in 2011.
Payments of principal and interest, and the accrual of OID, with respect to notes held by a
United States Holder, other than certain exempt recipients such as corporations, and proceeds from
the sale of notes through the United States office of a broker will be subject to backup
withholding unless that United States Holder supplies us with a taxpayer identification number and
certifies that its taxpayer identification number is correct or otherwise establishes an exemption.
In addition, backup withholding will be imposed on any payment of principal and interest, and the
accrual of OID, with respect to a note held by a United States Holder that is informed by the
United States Secretary of the Treasury that it has not reported all dividend and interest income
required to be shown on its United States federal income tax return or that fails to certify that
it has not underreported its interest and dividend income.
Payments of the proceeds from the sale of the notes to or through a foreign office of a
broker, custodian, nominee, or other foreign agent acting on your behalf will not be subject to
information reporting or backup withholding. If, however, that nominee, custodian, agent, or
broker is, for United States federal income tax purposes, (1) a United States person, (2) the
government of the United States or the government of any State or political subdivision of any
State (or any agency or instrumentality of any of these governmental units), (3) a controlled
foreign corporation, (4) a foreign partnership that is either engaged in a United States trade or
business or whose United States partners in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or
capital interests in the partnership, (5) a foreign person that derives 50% or more of its gross
income for certain periods from the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, or (6) a
United States branch of a foreign bank or foreign insurance company, those payments will be subject
to information reporting, unless (a) that custodian, nominee, agent, or broker has documentary
evidence in its records that the holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions
are met or (b) the holder otherwise establishes an exemption from information reporting.
A United States Holder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification
number may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. In addition, any amounts withheld under the
backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against the holders United States
federal income tax liability, provided that certain required information is furnished to the IRS.
Applicable Treasury regulations require taxpayers that participate in reportable
transactions to disclose their participation to the IRS by attaching Form 8886 to their tax
returns and to retain a copy of all documents and records related to the transaction. In addition,
material advisors with respect to such a transaction may be required to file returns and maintain
records, including lists identifying investors in the transaction, and to furnish
PS-38
those records to the IRS upon demand. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based on
any of several criteria, one or more of which may be present with respect to an investment in the
notes. Whether an investment in the notes constitutes a reportable transaction for any investor
depends on the investors particular circumstances. Investors should consult their own tax advisors
concerning any possible disclosure obligation they may have for their investment in the notes and
should be aware that, should any material advisor determine that the return filing or investor
list maintenance requirements apply to this transaction, they would be required to comply with
these requirements.
Non-United States Holders Income Tax Considerations
United States Federal Income and Withholding Tax
Under present United States federal income tax law, and subject to the discussion below
concerning backup withholding, any gain realized on the sale, exchange, or retirement of a note, or
the payment by us, or any paying agent, of principal or interest, including OID, on a note owned by
a Non-United States Holder is not subject to United States federal income or withholding tax
provided that:
|
1. |
|
the holder does not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of our stock that are entitled to vote; |
|
|
2. |
|
the holder is not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us
through stock ownership; |
|
|
3. |
|
the holder is not a bank receiving interest on an extension of credit made
pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or
business; |
|
|
4. |
|
the payment is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or
business in the United States; and |
|
|
5. |
|
either (A) the holder provides us (or any paying agent) with a statement which
sets forth its address, and certifies, under penalties of perjury, that it is not a
United States person, citizen, or resident (which certification may be made on an IRS
Form W-8BEN (or successor form)) or (B) a financial institution holding the note on
behalf of the holder certifies, under penalties of perjury (which certification may be
made on an IRS Form W-8IMY (or successor form)), that it has or will provide us (or the
paying agent) with a withholding statement. |
Payments to Non-United States Holders not meeting the requirements set forth above are subject
to withholding at a rate of 30% unless (a) the holder is engaged in a trade or business in the
United States and the holder provides us with a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or successor
form) certifying that the payments are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or
business in the United States, or (b) the holder provides us with a properly executed IRS Form
W-8BEN (or successor form) claiming an exemption from, or reduction in the rate of, withholding
under the benefit of a tax treaty. To claim benefits under an income tax treaty, a Non-United
States Holder must obtain a taxpayer identification number and certify as to its eligibility under
the appropriate treatys limitations on benefits article.
Backup Withholding and Reporting
Payments of principal and interest, and the accrual of OID, with respect to the notes and
proceeds from the sale of notes held by a Non-United States Holder will not be subject to
information reporting and backup withholding so long as the holder has certified that it is not a
PS-39
United States person and we do not have actual knowledge that the certification is false (or
you otherwise establish an exemption). However, if a Non-United States Holder has not certified
that it is not United States person or we have actual knowledge that the certification is false
(and it has not otherwise established an exemption) the holder will be subject to backup
withholding and information reporting in the manner described above in United States
HoldersBackup Withholding and Reporting.
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
A fiduciary of a pension plan or other employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan,
an individual retirement account, or a Keogh plan) subject to ERISA should consider fiduciary
standards under ERISA in the context of the particular circumstances of the plan before authorizing
an investment in the notes. A fiduciary also should consider whether the investment is authorized
by, and in accordance with, the documents and instruments governing the plan.
In addition, ERISA and the Code prohibit a number of transactions (referred to as prohibited
transactions) involving the assets of a plan subject to ERISA or the assets of an individual
retirement account, or plan subject to Section 4975 of the Code (referred to as an ERISA plan),
on the one hand, and persons who have specified relationships of the plan (parties in interest
within the meaning of ERISA or disqualified persons within the meaning of the Code), on the
other. If we (or an affiliate) are considered a party in interest or disqualified person for an
ERISA plan, then the investment in the notes by that ERISA plan may give rise to a prohibited
transaction. There are several ways by which we or our affiliates may be considered a party in
interest or a disqualified person for an ERISA plan. For example, if we provide banking or
financial advisory services to an ERISA plan, or act as a trustee or in a similar fiduciary role
for ERISA plan assets, we may be considered a party in interest or a disqualified person for that
ERISA plan.
A violation of the prohibited transaction rules may result in civil penalties or other
liabilities under ERISA and an excise tax under Section 4975 of the Code for those persons, unless
exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory, regulatory, or administrative
exemption. In addition, a prohibited transaction may require correction of the transaction.
Some types of employee benefit plans and arrangements including those that are 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) (non-ERISA arrangements) are not
subject to the requirements of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to similar
provisions under applicable federal, state, local, foreign or other regulations, rules, or laws
(similar laws).
Therefore, an ERISA plan should not invest in the notes unless the plan fiduciary or other
person acquiring them on behalf of the ERISA plan determines that neither we nor an affiliate is a
party in interest or a disqualified person or, alternatively, that an exemption from the prohibited
transaction rules is available. The United States Department of Labor has issued five prohibited
transaction class exemptions, or PTCEs, that may provide exemptive relief if required for direct
or indirect prohibited transactions that may arise from the purchase or holding of the notes.
These exemptions include:
(1) PTCE 84-14, an exemption for some transactions determined by independent qualified
professional asset managers;
(2) PTCE 90-1, an exemption for some types of transactions involving insurance company pooled
separate accounts;
PS-40
(3) PTCE 91-38, an exemption for some types of transactions involving bank collective
investment funds;
(4) PTCE 95-60, an exemption for transactions involving some types of insurance company
general accounts; and
(5) PTCE 96-23, an exemption for plan asset transactions managed by in-house asset managers.
There also may be other exemptions available depending on the particular circumstances.
Because we may be considered a party in interest or a disqualified person with respect to many
plans, the notes may not be purchased, held, or disposed of by any ERISA plan or any person
investing plan assets of any ERISA plan, unless the purchase, holding, or disposition is eligible
for exemptive relief or that purchase, holding, or disposition is otherwise not prohibited.
Therefore, any purchaser, including any fiduciary purchasing on behalf of an ERISA 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, that either (a) it is not an ERISA plan and is not
purchasing the notes on behalf of or with plan assets of any ERISA plan, or with any assets of a
non-ERISA arrangement, or (b) its purchase, holding, and disposition are eligible for exemptive
relief or the purchase, holding, or disposition are not prohibited by ERISA or Section 4975 of the
Code (or, in the case of a non-ERISA arrangement, any similar laws).
The sale of the notes to an ERISA plan or non-ERISA arrangement is not a representation by us
to you or any other person associated with the sale that those securities meet any legal
requirements for investments by those entities generally or any particular entities.
If you are the fiduciary of a pension plan or non-ERISA arrangement, or an insurance company
that is providing investment advice or other features to a pension plan or other ERISA plan, and
you propose to invest in the notes with the assets of the ERISA plan or a non-ERISA arrangement,
you should consult your own legal counsel for further guidance.
PS-41
Annex A
Historical S&P 500® Index Quarterly Performance
(December 1969 to March 2007)
The following table sets
forth the value of the S&P
500® Index for the
end of each of the calendar
quarters beginning in the
fourth calendar quarter of 1969
through the first calendar
quarter of 2007 and the
percentage change over each
period. The ending level of
the S&P 500® Index
for the fourth calendar quarter
of 1969 was 92.06. You cannot
predict the future performance
of the S&P 500®
Index based on its historical
performance, and no assurance
can be given as to the
performance of the S&P
500® Index during
any period or at maturity of
the notes. The results
produced by the S&P
500® Index for these
periods are not necessarily
indicative of the results for
any future period. Calendar
quarters that resulted in an
increase in the level of the
S&P 500® Index of at
least 7.00% (the Return Cap) or
greater are
indicated in bold
typeface below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P |
|
|
|
|
500® |
|
|
|
|
Index |
|
Percentage |
Period Ending |
|
Value |
|
Change |
December 1969 |
|
|
92.06 |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
March 1970 |
|
|
89.63 |
|
|
|
-2.64 |
% |
June 1970 |
|
|
72.72 |
|
|
|
-18.87 |
% |
September 1970 |
|
|
84.21 |
|
|
|
15.80 |
% |
December 1970 |
|
|
92.15 |
|
|
|
9.43 |
% |
March 1971 |
|
|
100.31 |
|
|
|
8.86 |
% |
June 1971 |
|
|
99.70 |
|
|
|
-0.61 |
% |
September 1971 |
|
|
98.34 |
|
|
|
-1.36 |
% |
December 1971 |
|
|
102.09 |
|
|
|
3.81 |
% |
March 1972 |
|
|
107.20 |
|
|
|
5.01 |
% |
June 1972 |
|
|
107.14 |
|
|
|
-0.06 |
% |
September 1972 |
|
|
110.55 |
|
|
|
3.18 |
% |
December 1972 |
|
|
118.05 |
|
|
|
6.78 |
% |
March 1973 |
|
|
111.52 |
|
|
|
-5.53 |
% |
June 1973 |
|
|
104.26 |
|
|
|
-6.51 |
% |
September 1973 |
|
|
108.43 |
|
|
|
4.00 |
% |
December 1973 |
|
|
97.55 |
|
|
|
-10.03 |
% |
March 1974 |
|
|
93.98 |
|
|
|
-3.66 |
% |
June 1974 |
|
|
86.00 |
|
|
|
-8.49 |
% |
September 1974 |
|
|
63.54 |
|
|
|
-26.12 |
% |
December 1974 |
|
|
68.56 |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
March 1975 |
|
|
83.36 |
|
|
|
21.59 |
% |
June 1975 |
|
|
95.19 |
|
|
|
14.19 |
% |
September 1975 |
|
|
83.87 |
|
|
|
-11.89 |
% |
December 1975 |
|
|
90.19 |
|
|
|
7.54 |
% |
March 1976 |
|
|
102.77 |
|
|
|
13.95 |
% |
June 1976 |
|
|
104.28 |
|
|
|
1.47 |
% |
September 1976 |
|
|
105.24 |
|
|
|
0.92 |
% |
December 1976 |
|
|
107.46 |
|
|
|
2.11 |
% |
March 1977 |
|
|
98.42 |
|
|
|
-8.41 |
% |
June 1977 |
|
|
100.48 |
|
|
|
2.09 |
% |
September 1977 |
|
|
96.53 |
|
|
|
-3.93 |
% |
December 1977 |
|
|
95.10 |
|
|
|
-1.48 |
% |
March 1978 |
|
|
89.21 |
|
|
|
-6.19 |
% |
June 1978 |
|
|
95.53 |
|
|
|
7.08 |
% |
September 1978 |
|
|
102.54 |
|
|
|
7.34 |
% |
A-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P |
|
|
|
|
500® |
|
|
|
|
Index |
|
Percentage |
Period Ending |
|
Value |
|
Change |
December 1978 |
|
|
96.11 |
|
|
|
-6.27 |
% |
March 1979 |
|
|
101.59 |
|
|
|
5.70 |
% |
June 1979 |
|
|
102.91 |
|
|
|
1.30 |
% |
September 1979 |
|
|
109.32 |
|
|
|
6.23 |
% |
December 1979 |
|
|
107.94 |
|
|
|
-1.26 |
% |
March 1980 |
|
|
102.09 |
|
|
|
-5.42 |
% |
June 1980 |
|
|
114.24 |
|
|
|
11.90 |
% |
September 1980 |
|
|
125.46 |
|
|
|
9.82 |
% |
December 1980 |
|
|
135.76 |
|
|
|
8.21 |
% |
March 1981 |
|
|
136.00 |
|
|
|
0.18 |
% |
June 1981 |
|
|
131.21 |
|
|
|
-3.52 |
% |
September 1981 |
|
|
116.18 |
|
|
|
-11.45 |
% |
December 1981 |
|
|
122.55 |
|
|
|
5.48 |
% |
March 1982 |
|
|
111.96 |
|
|
|
-8.64 |
% |
June 1982 |
|
|
109.61 |
|
|
|
-2.10 |
% |
September 1982 |
|
|
120.42 |
|
|
|
9.86 |
% |
December 1982 |
|
|
140.64 |
|
|
|
16.79 |
% |
March 1983 |
|
|
152.96 |
|
|
|
8.76 |
% |
June 1983 |
|
|
168.11 |
|
|
|
9.90 |
% |
September 1983 |
|
|
166.07 |
|
|
|
-1.21 |
% |
December 1983 |
|
|
164.93 |
|
|
|
-0.69 |
% |
March 1984 |
|
|
159.18 |
|
|
|
-3.49 |
% |
June 1984 |
|
|
153.18 |
|
|
|
-3.77 |
% |
September 1984 |
|
|
166.10 |
|
|
|
8.43 |
% |
December 1984 |
|
|
167.24 |
|
|
|
0.69 |
% |
March 1985 |
|
|
180.66 |
|
|
|
8.02 |
% |
June 1985 |
|
|
191.85 |
|
|
|
6.19 |
% |
September 1985 |
|
|
182.08 |
|
|
|
-5.09 |
% |
December 1985 |
|
|
211.28 |
|
|
|
16.04 |
% |
March 1986 |
|
|
238.90 |
|
|
|
13.07 |
% |
June 1986 |
|
|
250.84 |
|
|
|
5.00 |
% |
September 1986 |
|
|
231.32 |
|
|
|
-7.78 |
% |
December 1986 |
|
|
242.17 |
|
|
|
4.69 |
% |
March 1987 |
|
|
291.70 |
|
|
|
20.45 |
% |
June 1987 |
|
|
304.00 |
|
|
|
4.22 |
% |
September 1987 |
|
|
321.83 |
|
|
|
5.87 |
% |
December 1987 |
|
|
247.08 |
|
|
|
-23.23 |
% |
March 1988 |
|
|
258.89 |
|
|
|
4.78 |
% |
June 1988 |
|
|
273.50 |
|
|
|
5.64 |
% |
September 1988 |
|
|
271.91 |
|
|
|
-0.58 |
% |
December 1988 |
|
|
277.72 |
|
|
|
2.14 |
% |
March 1989 |
|
|
294.87 |
|
|
|
6.18 |
% |
June 1989 |
|
|
317.98 |
|
|
|
7.84 |
% |
September 1989 |
|
|
349.15 |
|
|
|
9.80 |
% |
December 1989 |
|
|
353.40 |
|
|
|
1.22 |
% |
March 1990 |
|
|
339.94 |
|
|
|
-3.81 |
% |
June 1990 |
|
|
358.02 |
|
|
|
5.32 |
% |
September 1990 |
|
|
306.05 |
|
|
|
-14.52 |
% |
December 1990 |
|
|
330.22 |
|
|
|
7.90 |
% |
March 1991 |
|
|
375.22 |
|
|
|
13.63 |
% |
June 1991 |
|
|
371.16 |
|
|
|
-1.08 |
% |
September 1991 |
|
|
387.86 |
|
|
|
4.50 |
% |
A-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P |
|
|
|
|
500® |
|
|
|
|
Index |
|
Percentage |
Period Ending |
|
Value |
|
Change |
December 1991 |
|
|
417.09 |
|
|
|
7.54 |
% |
March 1992 |
|
|
403.69 |
|
|
|
-3.21 |
% |
June 1992 |
|
|
408.14 |
|
|
|
1.10 |
% |
September 1992 |
|
|
417.80 |
|
|
|
2.37 |
% |
December 1992 |
|
|
435.71 |
|
|
|
4.29 |
% |
March 1993 |
|
|
451.67 |
|
|
|
3.66 |
% |
June 1993 |
|
|
450.53 |
|
|
|
-0.25 |
% |
September 1993 |
|
|
458.93 |
|
|
|
1.86 |
% |
December 1993 |
|
|
466.45 |
|
|
|
1.64 |
% |
March 1994 |
|
|
445.77 |
|
|
|
-4.43 |
% |
June 1994 |
|
|
444.27 |
|
|
|
-0.34 |
% |
September 1994 |
|
|
462.71 |
|
|
|
4.15 |
% |
December 1994 |
|
|
459.27 |
|
|
|
-0.74 |
% |
March 1995 |
|
|
500.71 |
|
|
|
9.02 |
% |
June 1995 |
|
|
544.75 |
|
|
|
8.80 |
% |
September 1995 |
|
|
584.41 |
|
|
|
7.28 |
% |
December 1995 |
|
|
615.93 |
|
|
|
5.39 |
% |
March 1996 |
|
|
645.50 |
|
|
|
4.80 |
% |
June 1996 |
|
|
670.63 |
|
|
|
3.89 |
% |
September 1996 |
|
|
687.31 |
|
|
|
2.49 |
% |
December 1996 |
|
|
740.74 |
|
|
|
7.77 |
% |
March 1997 |
|
|
757.12 |
|
|
|
2.21 |
% |
June 1997 |
|
|
885.14 |
|
|
|
16.91 |
% |
September 1997 |
|
|
947.28 |
|
|
|
7.02 |
% |
December 1997 |
|
|
970.43 |
|
|
|
2.44 |
% |
March 1998 |
|
|
1,101.75 |
|
|
|
13.53 |
% |
June 1998 |
|
|
1,133.84 |
|
|
|
2.91 |
% |
September 1998 |
|
|
1,017.01 |
|
|
|
-10.30 |
% |
December 1998 |
|
|
1,229.23 |
|
|
|
20.87 |
% |
March 1999 |
|
|
1,286.37 |
|
|
|
4.65 |
% |
June 1999 |
|
|
1,372.71 |
|
|
|
6.71 |
% |
September 1999 |
|
|
1,282.71 |
|
|
|
-6.56 |
% |
December 1999 |
|
|
1,469.25 |
|
|
|
14.54 |
% |
March 2000 |
|
|
1,498.58 |
|
|
|
2.00 |
% |
June 2000 |
|
|
1,454.60 |
|
|
|
-2.93 |
% |
September 2000 |
|
|
1,436.51 |
|
|
|
-1.24 |
% |
December 2000 |
|
|
1,320.28 |
|
|
|
-8.09 |
% |
March 2001 |
|
|
1,160.33 |
|
|
|
-12.11 |
% |
June 2001 |
|
|
1,224.42 |
|
|
|
5.52 |
% |
September 2001 |
|
|
1,040.94 |
|
|
|
-14.99 |
% |
December 2001 |
|
|
1,148.08 |
|
|
|
10.29 |
% |
March 2002 |
|
|
1,147.39 |
|
|
|
-0.06 |
% |
June 2002 |
|
|
989.82 |
|
|
|
-13.73 |
% |
September 2002 |
|
|
815.28 |
|
|
|
-17.63 |
% |
December 2002 |
|
|
879.82 |
|
|
|
7.92 |
% |
March 2003 |
|
|
848.18 |
|
|
|
-3.60 |
% |
June 2003 |
|
|
974.50 |
|
|
|
14.89 |
% |
September 2003 |
|
|
995.97 |
|
|
|
2.20 |
% |
December 2003 |
|
|
1,111.92 |
|
|
|
11.64 |
% |
March 2004 |
|
|
1,126.21 |
|
|
|
1.29 |
% |
June 2004 |
|
|
1,140.84 |
|
|
|
1.30 |
% |
September 2004 |
|
|
1,114.58 |
|
|
|
-2.30 |
% |
A-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S&P |
|
|
|
|
500® |
|
|
|
|
Index |
|
Percentage |
Period Ending |
|
Value |
|
Change |
December 2004 |
|
|
1,211.92 |
|
|
|
8.73 |
% |
March 2005 |
|
|
1,180.59 |
|
|
|
-2.59 |
% |
June 2005 |
|
|
1,191.33 |
|
|
|
0.91 |
% |
September 2005 |
|
|
1,228.81 |
|
|
|
3.15 |
% |
December 2005 |
|
|
1,248.29 |
|
|
|
1.59 |
% |
March 2006 |
|
|
1,294.83 |
|
|
|
3.73 |
% |
June 2006 |
|
|
1,270.20 |
|
|
|
-1.90 |
% |
September 2006 |
|
|
1,335.85 |
|
|
|
5.17 |
% |
December 2006 |
|
|
1,418.30 |
|
|
|
6.17 |
% |
March 2007 |
|
|
1,420.86 |
|
|
|
0.18 |
% |
Total Periods |
|
|
|
|
|
|
150 |
|
Total number of periods with a quarterly
increase greater than 7.00% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
41 |
|
A-4
$10,000,000,000
Medium-Term Notes, Series K
We may offer to sell our Bank of America Corporation Medium-Term
Notes, Series K, from time to time. The specific terms of
any notes that we offer will be determined before each sale and
will be described in a separate pricing supplement. Terms may
include:
|
|
|
|
|
Priority: senior or subordinated |
|
|
Notes may bear interest at fixed or floating rates or may not
bear any interest |
|
|
Base floating rates include:
° federal funds rate
° LIBOR
° prime rate
° treasury rate
° any other rate we specify |
|
|
Maturity: nine months or more |
|
|
Indexed notes: principal, premium, or interest payments linked
to the price or performance, either directly or indirectly, of
one or more securities, currencies, commodities, interest rates,
stock indices, or other indices or formulae |
|
|
Payments in U.S. dollars or any other consideration |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per Note | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Public offering price
|
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
$10,000,000,000 |
|
Agents discounts and commissions
|
|
|
.125% .750% |
|
|
|
$12,500,000 $75,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds (before expenses)
|
|
|
99.875% 99.250% |
|
|
|
$9,987,500,000 $9,925,000,000 |
|
We may sell notes to the agents as principal for resale at
varying or fixed offering prices or through the agents as agents
using their best efforts on our behalf. We also may sell the
notes directly to investors.
We may use this prospectus supplement and accompanying
prospectus in the initial sale of any note. In addition, Banc of
America Securities LLC, or any of our other affiliates, may use
this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus in a
market-making transaction in any note after its initial sale.
Unless we or our agent inform the purchaser otherwise in the
confirmation of sale, this prospectus supplement and
accompanying prospectus are being used in a market-making
transaction.
Unless otherwise specified in the pricing supplement, we do not
intend to list the notes on any securities exchange.
Our notes are unsecured and are not savings accounts,
deposits, or other obligations of a bank. Our notes are not
guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any other bank, are not
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
other governmental agency, and may involve investment risks.
Potential purchasers of the notes should consider the
information set forth in the Risk Factors section
beginning on page S-3.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state
securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved
or disapproved of these notes or passed upon the adequacy or
accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
|
|
Banc of America Securities LLC |
Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. |
Prospectus Supplement to Prospectus dated April 14,
2004
April 15, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prospectus Supplement
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
|
|
|
About this Prospectus Supplement and any Pricing Supplements
|
|
|
S-3 |
|
Risk Factors
|
|
|
S-3 |
|
Bank of America Corporation
|
|
|
S-7 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
S-7 |
|
|
Acquisitions and Sales
|
|
|
S-7 |
|
|
Outstanding Debt
|
|
|
S-8 |
|
Description of the Notes
|
|
|
S-9 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
S-9 |
|
|
Types of Notes
|
|
|
S-9 |
|
|
Payment of Principal, Interest, and Other Amounts Due
|
|
|
S-11 |
|
|
Ranking
|
|
|
S-12 |
|
|
|
Senior Notes
|
|
|
S-12 |
|
|
|
Subordinated Notes
|
|
|
S-12 |
|
|
Fixed-Rate Notes
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
|
Generally
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
|
Amortizing Notes
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
Floating-Rate Notes
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
|
Interest Rate Bases
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
|
Interest Reset Dates
|
|
|
S-13 |
|
|
|
Interest Determination Dates
|
|
|
S-14 |
|
|
|
Calculation Date
|
|
|
S-14 |
|
|
|
Interest Payments
|
|
|
S-15 |
|
|
|
LIBOR Notes
|
|
|
S-15 |
|
|
|
Treasury Rate Notes
|
|
|
S-16 |
|
|
|
Federal Funds Rate Notes
|
|
|
S-17 |
|
|
|
Prime Rate Notes
|
|
|
S-18 |
|
|
Original Issue Discount Notes
|
|
|
S-18 |
|
|
Indexed Notes
|
|
|
S-19 |
|
|
|
General
|
|
|
S-19 |
|
|
|
Indexed Amortizing Notes
|
|
|
S-19 |
|
|
Extendible Notes
|
|
|
S-19 |
|
|
Renewable Notes
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
Redemption
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
Repayment
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
Reopenings
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
Other Provisions
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
Repurchase
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences
|
|
|
S-20 |
|
|
United States Holders
|
|
|
S-21 |
|
|
Non-United States Holders
|
|
|
S-24 |
|
|
Renewable Notes, Floating-Rate Notes, Extendible Notes, Foreign
Currency Notes, and Indexed Notes
|
|
|
S-25 |
|
|
Reportable Transactions
|
|
|
S-25 |
|
|
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
|
|
|
S-25 |
|
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
|
|
|
S-26 |
|
Supplemental Plan of Distribution
|
|
|
S-26 |
|
Prospectus
|
|
|
Page |
|
|
|
|
|
Prospectus Summary
|
|
|
1 |
|
Bank of America Corporation
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Acquisitions and Sales
|
|
|
4 |
|
Use of Proceeds
|
|
|
5 |
|
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Ratios of Earnings to
Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends
|
|
|
5 |
|
Regulatory Matters
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
Interstate Banking
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
Changes in Regulations
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
Capital and Operational Requirements
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
Distributions
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
Source of Strength
|
|
|
9 |
|
Description of Debt Securities
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
No Sinking Fund
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
Redemption
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
Repayment
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
Repurchase
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
Reopenings
|
|
|
11 |
|
|
Conversion
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
Exchange, Registration, and Transfer
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
Payment and Paying Agents
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
Subordination
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
Sale or Issuance of Capital Stock of Banks
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
Waiver of Covenants
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
Modification of the Indentures
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
Meetings and Action by Securityholders
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
Defaults and Rights of Acceleration
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
Collection of Indebtedness
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
Notices
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
Concerning the Trustees
|
|
|
15 |
|
Description of Warrants
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
Description of Debt Warrants
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
Description of Universal Warrants
|
|
|
17 |
|
|
Modification
|
|
|
18 |
|
|
Enforceability of Rights of Warrantholders; Governing Law
|
|
|
18 |
|
|
Unsecured Obligations
|
|
|
18 |
|
Description of Units
|
|
|
18 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
18 |
|
|
Modification
|
|
|
19 |
|
|
Enforceability of Rights of Unitholders; Governing Law
|
|
|
19 |
|
|
Unsecured Obligations
|
|
|
19 |
|
Description of Preferred Stock
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
The Preferred Stock
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
Authorized Classes of Preferred Stock
|
|
|
21 |
|
|
ESOP Preferred Stock
|
|
|
21 |
|
|
Series B Preferred Stock
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
Series BB Preferred Stock
|
|
|
23 |
|
|
6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock
|
|
|
23 |
|
|
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock
|
|
|
24 |
|
Description of Depositary Shares
|
|
|
26 |
|
|
General
|
|
|
26 |
|
|
Terms of the Depositary Shares
|
|
|
26 |
|
|
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
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Dividends and Other Distributions
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Redemption of Depositary Shares
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Voting the Deposited Preferred Stock
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Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
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Charges of Depository
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Miscellaneous
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Resignation and Removal of Depository
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Description of Common Stock
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General
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Voting and Other Rights
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Dividends
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Registration and Settlement
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Book-Entry System
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29 |
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Certificates in Registered Form
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30 |
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Street Name Owners
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30 |
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Legal Holders
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30 |
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Special Considerations for Indirect Owners
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31 |
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Depositories for Global Securities
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The Depository Trust Company
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31 |
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Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear
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Special Considerations for Global Securities
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34 |
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Registration, Transfer, and Payment of Certificated Notes
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Plan of Distribution
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35 |
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Distribution Through Underwriters
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35 |
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Distribution Through Dealers
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Distribution Through Agents
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36 |
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Direct Sales
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36 |
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General Information
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Where You Can Find More Information
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Forward-Looking Statements
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Legal Opinions
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Experts
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S-2
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND ANY PRICING
SUPPLEMENTS
We have registered the notes on a registration statement on
Form S-3 with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under Registration
No. 333-112708.
From time to time, we intend to use this prospectus supplement,
the accompanying prospectus, and a related pricing supplement to
offer the notes. You should read each of these documents before
investing in the notes.
This prospectus supplement describes additional terms of the
notes and supplements the description of the debt securities
contained in the accompanying prospectus. If the information in
this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the prospectus,
this prospectus supplement will supersede the information in the
prospectus.
Each time we issue notes, we will prepare a pricing supplement
which will contain additional terms of the offering and a
specific description of the notes being offered. The pricing
supplement also may add, update, or change information in this
prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, including
provisions describing the calculation of interest and the method
of making payments under the terms of a note. We will state in
the pricing supplement the interest rate or interest rate basis
or formula, issue price, any relevant index or indices, the
maturity date, interest payment dates, redemption or repayment
provisions, if any, and other relevant terms and conditions for
each note at the time of issuance. A pricing supplement can be
quite detailed and always should be read carefully.
Any term that is used, but not defined, in this prospectus
supplement shall have the meaning set forth in the accompanying
prospectus.
RISK FACTORS
Your investment in the notes involves significant risks. Your
decision to purchase the notes should be made only after
carefully considering the risks of an investment in the notes,
including those discussed below, with your advisors in light of
your particular circumstances. The notes are not an appropriate
investment for you if you are not knowledgeable about
significant elements of the notes or financial matters in
general.
We cannot assure you that a trading market for the notes
exists, will develop, or will be maintained if developed.
We do not intend to list the notes on any securities exchange.
Even if the notes are listed at a later date, we cannot
guarantee that a trading market for the notes ever will develop
or be maintained if developed. The agents have advised us that
they intend under ordinary market conditions to indicate prices
for the notes on request. However, we cannot guarantee that bids
for outstanding notes will be made in the future, nor can we
predict the price at which those bids will be made.
The amount of interest we may pay on the notes may be limited
by state law.
New York law governs the notes. New York usury laws limit the
amount of interest that can be charged and paid on loans,
including debt securities like the notes. Under present New York
law, the maximum permissible rate of interest is 25% per
year on a simple interest basis. This limit may not apply to
debt securities in which $2,500,000 or more has been invested.
While we believe that a state or federal court sitting outside
of New York may give effect to New York law, many other states
also have laws that regulate the amount of interest that may be
charged to and paid by a borrower. We do not intend to claim the
benefits of any laws concerning usurious rates of interest.
Redemption of the notes prior to maturity may result in a
reduced return on your investment.
If the terms of a note permit or require redemption prior to
maturity, that redemption may occur at times when prevailing
interest rates are relatively low. As a result, you may not be
able to reinvest the
S-3
redemption proceeds in a comparable replacement security at an
effective interest rate as high as the return on your redeemed
note.
The trading value of the notes may be less than the principal
amount of the notes.
The trading market for, and trading value of, the notes may be
affected by a number of factors. These factors include:
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the time remaining to maturity of the notes; |
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the aggregate amount outstanding of the relevant notes; |
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any redemption features of the notes; and |
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the level, direction, and volatility of market interest rates
generally. |
Often, the only way to liquidate your investment in the notes
prior to maturity will be to sell the notes. At that time, there
may be a very illiquid market for the notes or no market at all.
For indexed notes that have very specific investment objectives
or strategies, the applicable trading market may be more
limited, and the price may be more volatile, than for other
notes. The trading value of indexed notes may be adversely
affected by the complexity of the formula and volatility of the
applicable reference asset, including any dividend rates or
yields of other securities or financial instruments that relate
to the indexed notes. Moreover, the trading value of indexed
notes could be adversely affected by changes in the amount of
outstanding equity or other securities linked to the applicable
reference asset or formula applicable to the indexed notes.
Hedging activities may affect your return at maturity and the
market value of the notes.
Hedging activities also may affect trading in the notes. At any
time, we or our affiliates may engage in hedging activities
contemporaneous with an offering of the notes. This hedging
activity, in turn, may increase or decrease the value of the
notes. In addition, we or our affiliates may acquire a long or
short position in the notes from time to time. In the case of
indexed notes, we or our affiliates may engage in hedging
activity related to the indexed notes or to a component of the
index or formula applicable to the indexed notes. All or a
portion of these positions may be liquidated at or about the
time of the maturity date of the notes. The aggregate amount and
the composition of these positions are likely to vary over time.
We have no reason to believe that any of our activities will
have a material effect on the notes. However, we cannot assure
you that our activities or the activities of our affiliates will
not affect the prices at which you may sell your notes.
Changes in our credit ratings are expected to affect the
value of the notes.
Our credit ratings are an assessment of our ability to pay our
obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our
credit ratings may affect the trading value of the notes.
However, because your return on the notes depends upon factors
in addition to our ability to pay our obligations, an
improvement in our credit ratings will not reduce the other
investment risks related to the notes.
Holders of notes denominated in a foreign currency are
subject to governmental action impacting currency transfer and
other exchange rate risks.
If you invest in notes that are not denominated or payable in
your home country currency, you will be subject to significant
risks not associated with an investment denominated and payable
in your home country currency.
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Your return on a foreign currency-denominated note may be
affected by exchange rates and controls. Changes in the
rates of exchange between your home country currency and the
specified currency of your note and the imposition or
modification of foreign exchange controls or other conditions by
either the United States or
non-U.S. governments
could significantly lessen the return on |
S-4
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your note. These risks generally are influenced by factors over
which we have no control, such as economic and political events
and the supply of and demand for the relevant currencies in the
global markets. |
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Changes in currency exchange rates can be volatile and
unpredictable. Fluctuations in rates of exchange have been
volatile. This volatility may continue and could spread to other
currencies in the future. Fluctuations in currency exchange
rates could affect adversely your investment in a foreign
currency-denominated note. Depreciation of a foreign currency
against your home country currency could result in a decrease in
the foreign currency equivalent value of payments on the notes,
including the principal payable at maturity. That, in turn,
could cause the market value of the notes to fall. Depreciation
of a foreign currency against your home currency could result in
a loss to you on your home country currency. |
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Government policy can adversely affect currency exchange
rates and an investment in the notes. Currency exchange
rates either can float or be fixed by sovereign governments.
Governments or governmental bodies may intervene in their
economies to alter the exchange rates or exchange
characteristics of their currencies. For example, a central bank
may intervene to devalue or revalue a currency or to replace an
existing currency. In addition, a government may impose
regulatory controls or taxes to affect the exchange rate of its
currency. As a result, the yield or payout of a foreign
currency-denominated note could be affected significantly and
unpredictably by governmental actions. Changes in exchange rates
could affect the value of the notes as participants in the
global currency market move to buy or sell foreign currency or
your home country currency in reaction to those developments. |
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If a governmental authority imposes exchange controls or other
conditions, such as taxes on the transfer of a foreign currency,
there may be limited availability of that foreign currency for
payment on the notes at their maturity or on any other payment
date. In addition, the ability of a holder to move currency
freely out of the country in which payment in the currency is
received or to convert the currency at a freely determined
market rate could be limited by governmental actions. |
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We will make payments in U.S. dollars if we are unable
to obtain the specified currency. Under the terms of the
notes, if, at or about the time when a payment on the notes
comes due, the specified currency is subject to convertibility,
transferability, market disruption, or other conditions
affecting its availability because of circumstances beyond our
control, we may make the payment in U.S. dollars instead of
the specified currency. These circumstances could include the
imposition of exchange controls or our inability to obtain the
specified currency because of a disruption in the currency
markets for the specified currency. The exchange rate used to
make the payment in U.S. dollars may be based on limited
information and would involve significant discretion on the part
of our exchange agent. As a result, the value of the payment in
U.S. dollars may be less than the value of the payment you
would have received in the specified currency if the specified
currency had been available. |
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We will not adjust the notes to compensate for changes in
currency exchange rates. We will not make any adjustments in
or change to the terms of the notes for changes in the exchange
rate for a specified currency, including any devaluation,
revaluation, or imposition of exchange, or other regulatory
controls or taxes, or for other developments affecting the
specified currency or your home country currency. Consequently,
you will bear the risk that your investment may be adversely
affected by these types of events. |
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In a lawsuit for payment on a note, you may bear currency
exchange risk. The notes are governed by New York law. Under
Section 27 of the New York Judiciary Law, a state court in
the State of New York rendering a judgment on the note
denominated in a foreign currency would be required to render
the judgment in that foreign currency. In turn, the judgment
would be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate
prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment. Consequently,
in a lawsuit for payment on the notes, you would bear currency
exchange risk until judgment is entered, which could be a long
time. |
S-5
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In courts outside of New York, you may not be able to obtain a
judgment in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars.
For example, a judgment for money in an action based on the
notes in other U.S. federal or state courts ordinarily
would be enforced in the United States only in
U.S. dollars. The date used to determine the rate of
conversion of the foreign currency into U.S. dollars will
depend upon various factors, including which court renders the
judgment. |
Holders of indexed notes are subject to important risks that
are not associated with more conventional debt securities.
If you invest in indexed notes, you will be subject to
significant risks not associated with conventional fixed-rate or
floating-rate debt securities. These risks include the
possibility that the particular index or indices may be subject
to fluctuations, and the possibility that an investor will
receive a lower, or no, amount of principal, premium, or
interest, and at different times than expected. In recent years,
interest rates and indices have been volatile, and this
volatility may be expected in the future. However, past
experience is not necessarily indicative of what may occur in
the future. We have no control over a number of matters,
including economic, financial, and political events, that are
important in determining the existence, magnitude, and longevity
of these risks and their impact on the value of, or payments
made on, the indexed notes. Some of the additional risks that
you should consider in connection with an investment in indexed
notes are as follows:
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You may lose some or all of your principal. The principal
amount of an indexed note may or may not be fully
principal protected. This means that the principal
amount you will receive at maturity may be less than the
original purchase price of the indexed note. It also is possible
that principal will not be repaid. |
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Your yield may be less than the yield on a conventional debt
security of comparable maturity. Any yield on your
investment in an indexed note (whether or not the principal
amount is indexed) may be less than the overall return you would
earn if you purchased a conventional debt security at the same
time and with the same maturity date. |
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The existence of a multiplier or leverage factor may result
in the loss of your principal and interest. Some indexed
notes may have interest and principal payments that increase or
decrease at a rate greater than the rate of a favorable or
unfavorable movement in the indexed item. This is referred to as
a multiplier or leverage factor. A multiplier or leverage factor
in a principal or interest index will increase the risk that no
principal or interest will be paid. |
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Payment on the indexed note prior to maturity may result in a
reduced return on your investment. The terms of an indexed
note may require that the indexed note be paid prior to its
scheduled maturity date. That early payment could reduce your
anticipated return. In addition, you may not be able to invest
the funds you receive in a new investment that yields a similar
return. |
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The United States federal income tax consequences of the
indexed notes are uncertain. No statutory, judicial, or
administrative authority directly addresses the characterization
of the indexed notes or securities similar to the indexed notes
for United States federal income tax purposes. As a result,
significant United States federal income tax consequences of an
investment in the indexed notes are not certain. We are not
requesting a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the
IRS) for any of the indexed notes and we give no
assurance that the IRS will agree with the statements made in
this prospectus supplement or in the pricing supplement
applicable to those notes. |
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Your investment return may be less than a comparable direct
investment in the stocks included in an index or in a fund that
invests in those stocks. A direct investment in the stocks
included in an index or in a fund that invests in those stocks
would allow you to receive the full benefit of any appreciation
in the price of the shares, as well as in any dividends paid by
those shares. |
S-6
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
General
Bank of America Corporation is a Delaware corporation, a bank
holding company, and a financial holding company. Bank of
America Corporation was incorporated in 1998 as part of the
merger of BankAmerica Corporation with NationsBank Corporation.
We provide a diversified range of banking and nonbanking
financial services and products in 29 states and the
District of Columbia and in selected international markets. We
provide services and products through four business segments:
(1) Consumer and Small Business,
(2) Commercial Banking, (3) Global
Corporate and Investment Banking, and (4) Wealth and
Investment Management.
On October 27, 2003, we entered into an Agreement and Plan
of Merger with FleetBoston Financial Corporation, or
FleetBoston, providing for the merger of FleetBoston
with and into us (the FleetBoston Merger). The
FleetBoston Merger closed on April 1, 2004, and we were the
surviving corporation in the transaction. Following the
FleetBoston Merger, our principal banking subsidiaries are Bank
of America, N.A. and Fleet National Bank.
Acquisitions and Sales
As part of our operations, we regularly evaluate the potential
acquisition of, and hold discussions with, various financial
institutions and other businesses of a type eligible for
financial holding company ownership or control. In addition, we
regularly analyze the values of, and submit bids for, the
acquisition of customer-based funds and other liabilities and
assets of such financial institutions and other businesses. We
also regularly consider the potential disposition of certain of
our assets, branches, subsidiaries, or lines of businesses. As a
general rule, we publicly announce any material acquisitions or
dispositions when a definitive agreement has been reached.
S-7
The following table sets forth: (1) our outstanding
long-term debt as of December 31, 2003, (2) the pro
forma combined outstanding long-term debt of us and FleetBoston
as of December 31, 2003, and (3) the pro forma
combined outstanding long-term debt of us and FleetBoston as
adjusted for the issuance and maturity of some of our and
FleetBostons long-term debt during the period beginning
January 1, 2004 through April 15, 2004. The pro forma
information assumes that we had been combined with FleetBoston
on January 1, 2003, on a purchase accounting basis.
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Unaudited | |
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Pro Forma | |
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Unaudited | |
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Bank of | |
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Pro Forma | |
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America/ | |
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As Adjusted | |
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FleetBoston | |
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Bank of | |
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Bank of | |
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Combined | |
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America/ | |
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America | |
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December 31, | |
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FleetBoston | |
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Actual | |
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2003 | |
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Combined | |
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(Amount in Millions) | |
Senior debt
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Bank of America Corporation
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$ |
36,887 |
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$ |
41,816 |
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$ |
45,413 |
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Subsidiaries(1)
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12,862 |
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16,976 |
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18,207 |
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Total senior debt
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$ |
49,749 |
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$ |
58,792 |
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$ |
63,620 |
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Subordinated debt
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Bank of America Corporation
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19,041 |
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22,098 |
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21,617 |
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Subsidiaries(1)
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308 |
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2,508 |
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2,508 |
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Total subordinated debt
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$ |
19,349 |
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$ |
24,606 |
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$ |
24,125 |
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Junior subordinated debt
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Bank of America Corporation
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5,472 |
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8,729 |
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8,729 |
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Subsidiaries(1)
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773 |
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773 |
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773 |
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Total junior subordinated debt
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$ |
6,245 |
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$ |
9,502 |
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$ |
9,502 |
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Pro forma adjustments(2)
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$ |
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$ |
912 |
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$ |
912 |
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Total long-term debt
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$ |
75,343 |
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$ |
93,812 |
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$ |
98,159 |
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(1) |
These obligations are direct obligations of our subsidiaries and
represent claims against those subsidiaries prior to our equity
interest in those subsidiaries. |
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(2) |
For additional information, see Unaudited Pro Forma
Condensed Combined Financial Information included in our
Form 8-K/A filed
April 14, 2004. |
Also, as of December 31, 2003, there was approximately
$2.6 billion of Bank of America Corporation commercial
paper and other short-term notes payable outstanding and
approximately $759 million of FleetBoston commercial paper
and other short-term notes payable outstanding.
S-8
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
This section describes the general terms and conditions of the
notes, which may be senior or subordinated medium-term notes. We
will describe the particular terms of the notes we sell in a
pricing supplement. The terms and conditions stated in this
section will apply to each note unless the note, the pricing
supplement, or an amendment or supplement to the registration
statement indicates otherwise.
General
We will issue the notes as part of a series of debt securities
under the Indentures, which are exhibits to our registration
statement and are contracts between us and The Bank of New York,
the trustee. The trustee has two principal functions:
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First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we
default. However, there are limitations on the extent to which
the trustee may act on your behalf. |
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Second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us,
including sending you notices. |
The Indentures are subject to, and governed by, the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939. We, the agents, and the depository, in
the ordinary course of our respective businesses, have conducted
and may conduct business with The Bank of New York or its
affiliates.
The following summary of the terms of the notes and the
Indentures is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the actual notes and the specific provisions of the
applicable Indentures. The following description of notes will
apply to each note we offer unless we otherwise specify in the
applicable pricing supplement.
The notes are our direct unsecured obligations and are not
obligations of our subsidiaries. The notes are being offered on
a continuous basis. The total initial public offering price of
the Senior and Subordinated Medium-Term Notes, Series K,
that may be offered using this prospectus supplement is
$10,000,000,000. We may issue other debt securities under the
Indentures from time to time in one or more series up to the
aggregate initial offering price authorized for the particular
series. We also may increase the size of Medium-Term Notes,
Series K, without notice to, or the consent of, the
registered holders of the notes of that series or other debt
securities under the Indentures.
Unless otherwise provided in the pricing supplement, the minimum
denomination of the notes will be $1,000 and any larger amount
that is a whole multiple of $1,000.
For purposes of calculating the aggregate principal amount of
notes issued from time to time:
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the principal amount of original issue discount notes, as
described below, and any other notes issued at a discount will
be deemed to be the net proceeds that we received for the
relevant issue; and |
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the principal amount of indexed notes will be calculated by
reference to the original notional amount of the notes. |
Types of Notes
We may issue notes that bear interest at a fixed rate described
in the pricing supplement, which we refer to as fixed-rate
notes. We also may issue fixed-rate notes that combine
principal and interest payments in installment payments over the
life of the note, which we refer to as amortizing
notes.
We may issue notes that will bear interest at a floating rate of
interest determined by reference to one or more interest rate
bases, or by reference to one or more interest rate formulae,
described in the pricing supplement, which we refer to as
floating-rate notes. In some cases, the interest
rate of a floating-rate note
S-9
also may be adjusted by adding or subtracting a spread or by
multiplying the interest rate by a spread multiplier. A
floating-rate note also may be subject to:
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a maximum interest rate limit, or ceiling, on the interest that
may accrue during any interest period; |
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a minimum interest rate limit, or floor, on the interest that
may accrue during any interest period; or |
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both. |
We may issue notes that provide that the rate of return,
including the principal, premium (if any), interest, or other
amounts payable (if any), is determined by reference, either
directly or indirectly, to the price or performance of one or
more securities, currencies or composite currencies,
commodities, interest rates, stock indices, or other indices or
formulae, in each case as specified in the pricing supplement.
We refer to these notes as indexed notes.
We may issue notes at a price lower than their principal amount
or lower than their minimum guaranteed repayment amount at
maturity, which we refer to as original issue discount
notes or OID notes. OID notes may be
fixed-rate, floating-rate, or indexed notes and may bear no
interest (zero coupon notes) or may bear interest at
a rate that is below market rates at the time of issuance.
The pricing supplement for each offering of notes will contain
additional terms of the offering and a specific description of
those notes, including:
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the specific designation of the notes; |
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the issue price; |
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the principal amount; |
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the issue date; |
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the denominations or minimum denominations, if other than $1,000
or its equivalent in other currencies; |
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whether the note is a fixed-rate note, a floating-rate note, or
an indexed note; |
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whether the note is senior or subordinated; |
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the method of determining and paying interest, including any
applicable interest rate basis or bases, any initial interest
rate, any interest reset dates, any payment dates, any index
maturity, and any maximum or minimum rate of interest; |
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any spread or spread multiplier applicable to a floating-rate
note or an indexed note; |
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the method for the calculation and payment of principal, premium
(if any), interest, and other amounts payable (if any); |
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the maturity date; |
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if applicable, the circumstances under which the note may be
redeemed at our option or repaid at your option prior to the
maturity date set forth on the face of the note, including any
repayment date, redemption commencement date, redemption price,
and redemption period; |
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if applicable, the circumstances under which the maturity date
set forth on the face of the note may be extended at our option
or renewed at your option, including the extension or renewal
periods and the final maturity date; and |
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any other material terms of the note which are different from
those described in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. |
S-10
Payment of Principal, Interest, and Other Amounts Due
Unless otherwise provided in the pricing supplement, the trustee
will act as our sole paying agent, security registrar, and
transfer agent with respect to the notes through the
trustees office. That office is currently located at 101
Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. At any time, we may
rescind the designation of a paying agent, appoint a successor
paying agent, or approve a change in the office through which
any successor paying agent acts in accordance with the
applicable Indenture. In addition, we may decide to act as our
own paying agent with respect to some or all of the notes, and
the paying agent may resign.
The trustee also will act as the calculation agent for
floating-rate notes, unless otherwise specified in the pricing
supplement. We will identify the calculation agent for any
indexed notes in the pricing supplement. The calculation agent
will be responsible for calculating the interest rate, reference
rates, principal, premium (if any), interest, or other amounts
payable (if any) applicable to the floating-rate notes or
indexed notes, as the case may be, and for certain other related
matters. The calculation agent, at the request of the holder of
any floating-rate note, will provide the interest rate then in
effect and, if already determined, the interest rate that is to
take effect on the next interest reset date, as described below,
for the floating-rate note. At the request of the holder of any
floating-rate note that is an indexed note, the calculation
agent will provide the reference rate, index, or formula then in
effect. We may replace any calculation agent or elect to act as
the calculation agent for some or all of the notes, and the
calculation agent may resign.
We refer to each date on which interest is payable on a note as
an interest payment date. Unless otherwise specified
in the pricing supplement, interest payments on the notes will
be made on each interest payment date applicable to, and at the
maturity date of, the notes. Interest payable at any interest
payment date will be paid to the registered holder of the note
on the regular record date for that interest payment date, as
described below. Unless otherwise specified in the pricing
supplement, the regular record date for an interest payment date
will be 15 calendar days prior to the interest payment date,
whether or not that date is a business day. The principal and
interest payable at maturity will be paid to the holder of the
note at the close of business on the maturity date.
If any interest payment date or the maturity date of a
fixed-rate note falls on a day that is not a business day, the
required payment of principal, premium (if any), interest, or
other amounts payable (if any) will be made on the next business
day, and no additional interest will accrue in respect of the
payment made on the next business day. If any interest payment
date or the maturity date of a floating-rate note falls on a day
that is not a business day, the interest payment date will be
postponed to the next business day. However, in the case of a
floating-rate note with an interest rate based on the London
interbank offered rate, referred to as a LIBOR note
and described below, if an interest payment date falls on a date
that is not a business day, and the next business day is in the
next calendar month, the interest payment date will be the
immediately preceding business day.
Each note will mature on a business day nine months or more from
the issue date. Unless otherwise specified in the pricing
supplement, the term business day means any weekday
that is not a legal holiday in New York, New York, Charlotte,
North Carolina, or any other place of payment of the note, is
not a date on which banking institutions in those cities are
authorized or required by law or regulation to be closed, and:
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for LIBOR notes, a London Banking Day. A London Banking
Day means any day on which commercial banks are open for
business (including dealings in the index currency specified in
the pricing supplement) in London, England; |
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for notes denominated in euro, a day on which the TransEuropean
Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer, or
TARGET, System or any successor is
operating; and |
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for notes denominated in a specified currency other than
U.S. dollars or euro, a day on which banking institutions
generally are authorized or obligated by law, regulation, or
executive order to close in the Principal Financial Center of
the country of the specified currency. |
S-11
The Principal Financial Center is:
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the capital city of the country issuing the specified currency,
except for U.S. dollars, Australian dollars, Canadian
dollars, South African rand, and Swiss francs, the
Principal Financial Center is New York, Sydney and
Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, and Zurich, respectively; or |
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the capital city of the country to which the index currency
relates, except for U.S. dollars, Australian dollars,
Canadian dollars, South African rand, and Swiss francs, the
Principal Financial Center is New York, Sydney,
Toronto, Johannesburg, and Zurich, respectively. |
The notes are not subject to any sinking fund, which means we
will not deposit money on a regular basis into any separate
custodial account to repay the notes.
We will issue each note in book-entry only form. This means that
we will not issue actual notes or certificates to each holder.
Instead, the notes will be in the form of a global note held in
the name of The Depository Trust Company, which is known as
DTC, or its nominee. In order to own a beneficial
interest in a note, you must be an institution that has an
account with DTC or has a direct or an individual account with
such an institution that has an account with DTC.
Notes will not be issued in certificated form unless:
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DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as
depository or it otherwise ceases to be a qualified clearing
agency and we do not appoint a successor depository; or |
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we make a decision to permit notes to be issued in certificated
form and notify the trustee of that decision. |
No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer
or exchange of notes issued in certificated form, but we may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any related tax or
other governmental charges.
Unless otherwise stated in the pricing supplement, we will pay
principal, premium (if any), interest, and other amounts payable
(if any) on the notes in book-entry form in accordance with
arrangements then in place between the paying agent, DTC, and
its nominee, as holder. Unless otherwise stated in the pricing
supplement, we will pay any interest on notes in certificated
form on each interest payment date other than the maturity date
by check mailed to holders of the notes on the applicable record
date at the address appearing on our records. Unless otherwise
stated in the pricing supplement, we will pay any principal,
premium (if any), interest, and other amounts payable (if any)
at the maturity date of a note in certificated form by wire
transfer of immediately available funds upon surrender of the
note at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee or
paying agent.
Ranking
Senior Notes. The senior notes will be unsecured and
will rank equally with all our other unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations from time to time outstanding, except
obligations, including deposit liabilities, that are subject to
any priorities or preferences by law. Under United States law,
claims of our subsidiaries creditors, including their
depositors, would be entitled to priority over the claims of our
unsecured general creditors, including holders of senior notes,
in the event of our liquidation or other resolution.
The Indenture and the senior notes do not contain any limitation
on the amount of obligations that we may incur in the future.
Subordinated Notes. Our indebtedness evidenced by
the subordinated notes, including the principal, premium (if
any), interest, and other amounts payable (if any) will be
subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our senior
indebtedness from time to time outstanding. Payment of principal
of our subordinated indebtedness, including any subordinated
notes, may not be accelerated if there is a default in the
payment of amounts due under, or a default in any of our other
covenants applicable to, our subordinated indebtedness.
S-12
The Indenture and the subordinated notes do not contain any
limitation on the amount of obligations ranking senior to the
subordinated notes, or the amount of obligations ranking equally
with the subordinated notes, that we may incur in the future.
Fixed-Rate Notes
Generally. Each fixed-rate note will bear one or
more designated rates of interest. Unless otherwise indicated in
the pricing supplement, interest on fixed-rate notes will be
payable semi-annually in arrears and will be computed and paid
on the basis of a
360-day year consisting
of twelve 30-day months.
Interest for fixed-rate notes will accrue from the most recent
interest payment date to which interest has been paid, or, if no
interest has been paid, from the original issue date, to, but
excluding, the next interest payment date (or maturity date, as
the case may be). However, the initial interest payment on
fixed-rate notes issued between a regular record date and the
interest payment date immediately following the regular record
date will be made on the second interest payment date following
the original issue date to the holder of record on the regular
record date preceding the second interest payment date.
The pricing supplement and each fixed-rate note will contain the
provisions of that note, including the interest rate, the
original issue date, the interest payment dates, the maturity
date, and any additional terms.
Amortizing Notes. We may issue amortizing notes,
which are fixed-rate notes for which combined principal and
interest payments are made in installments over the life of the
notes. Payments on amortizing notes are applied first to
interest due and then to the reduction of the unpaid principal
amount. The pricing supplement for an amortizing note will
include a table setting forth repayment information.
Floating-Rate Notes
Interest Rate Bases. Each floating-rate note will
have an interest rate basis or formula, which may be based on:
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the federal funds rate, in which case the note will be a
federal funds rate note; |
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the London interbank offered rate, in which case the note will
be a LIBOR note; |
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the prime rate, in which case the note will be a prime
rate note; |
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the treasury rate, in which case the note will be a
treasury rate note; or |
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any other interest rate formula as may be specified in the
pricing supplement. |
The specific terms of each floating-rate note, including the
initial interest rate in effect until the first interest reset
date, will be specified in the pricing supplement and in the
floating-rate note. Thereafter, the interest rate will be
determined by reference to the specified interest rate basis or
formula, plus or minus the spread, if any, or multiplied by the
spread multiplier, if any. The spread is the number
of basis points we specify on the floating-rate note to be added
to or subtracted from the base rate. The spread
multiplier is the percentage we specify on the
floating-rate note by which the base rate is multiplied in order
to calculate the applicable interest rate.
Interest Reset Dates. The interest rate of each
floating-rate note may be reset daily, weekly, monthly,
quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, as we specify in the
pricing supplement. We refer to the period during which an
interest rate is effective as an interest reset
period and the date in each such period on which the
interest is reset as an interest reset date. Unless
otherwise specified in the pricing supplement, the interest
reset date will be:
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in the case of floating-rate notes that reset daily, each
business day; |
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in the case of floating-rate notes, other than treasury rate
notes, that reset weekly, the Wednesday of each week; |
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in the case of treasury rate notes that reset weekly, the
Tuesday of each week; |
S-13
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in the case of floating-rate notes that reset monthly, the third
Wednesday of each month; |
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in the case of floating-rate notes that reset quarterly, the
third Wednesday of March, June, September, and December of each
year; |
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in the case of floating-rate notes that reset semi-annually, the
third Wednesday of each of two months of each year, as specified
in the pricing supplement; or |
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in the case of floating-rate notes that reset annually, the
third Wednesday of the month of each year specified in the
pricing supplement. |
However, the interest rate in effect from the issue date to the
first interest reset date for a floating-rate note will be the
initial interest rate, as specified in the pricing supplement.
If any interest reset date for any floating-rate note would
otherwise be a day that is not a business day for the
floating-rate note, the interest reset date for the
floating-rate note will be postponed to the next day that is a
business day for the floating-rate note. However, in the case of
a LIBOR note, if the next business day is in the next succeeding
calendar month, the interest reset date will be the immediately
preceding business day.
Interest Determination Dates. Unless otherwise
specified in the pricing supplement, the interest determination
date for an interest reset date will be:
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for a federal funds rate note or a prime rate note, the business
day immediately preceding the interest reset date; |
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for a LIBOR note, the second London Banking Day preceding the
interest reset date unless the index currency is pounds
sterling, in which case the interest determination date will be
the interest reset date; and |
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for a treasury rate note, the day of the week in which the
interest reset date falls on which Treasury bills, as defined
below, of the applicable index maturity would normally be
auctioned. |
The index maturity is the period to maturity of the
instrument for which the interest rate basis is calculated.
Treasury bills usually are sold at auction on Monday of each
week, unless that day is a legal holiday, in which case the
auction usually is held on the following Tuesday, except that
the auction may be held on the preceding Friday. If, as a result
of a legal holiday, an auction is held on the preceding Friday,
that preceding Friday will be the interest determination date
pertaining to the interest reset date occurring in the next
succeeding week. Each base rate will be determined as of that
date, and the applicable interest rate will take effect on the
applicable interest reset date.
For a floating-rate note for which interest rate is determined
by reference to two or more base rates, the interest
determination date will be the most recent business day that is
at least two business days prior to the applicable interest
reset date for the floating-rate note on which each applicable
base rate is determinable.
Calculation Date. Unless otherwise specified in the
pricing supplement, the calculation date for any interest
determination date will be the date by which the calculation
agent computes the amount of interest owed on a floating-rate
note for the related interest reset period. Unless otherwise
specified in the pricing supplement, the calculation date will
be the earlier of:
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(1) |
the tenth calendar day after the related interest determination
date or, if that day is not a business day, the next succeeding
business day; or |
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(2) |
the business day immediately preceding the applicable interest
payment date, the maturity date, or the date of redemption or
prepayment, as the case may be. |
S-14
Interest Payments. Except as provided below and
unless otherwise provided in the pricing supplement, interest on
floating-rate notes will be payable, in the case of
floating-rate notes with an interest reset date that resets:
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daily, weekly, or monthly on a business day that
occurs in each month; |
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quarterly on a business day that occurs in each
third month, as specified in the pricing supplement; |
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semi-annually on a business day that occurs in each
of two months of each year, as specified in the pricing
supplement; and |
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annually on a business day that occurs in one month
of each year, as specified in the pricing supplement. |
Unless otherwise indicated in the pricing supplement, interest
payments for floating-rate notes will include interest accrued
from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has
been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the original
issue date, to, but excluding, the next interest payment date.
However, the initial interest payment on a floating-rate note
issued between a regular record date and the interest payment
date immediately following the regular record date will be made
on the second interest payment date following the original issue
date to the holder of record on the regular record date
preceding the second interest payment date.
Accrued interest on a floating-rate note is calculated by
multiplying the principal amount of a note by an accrued
interest factor. This accrued interest factor is the sum of the
interest factors calculated for each day in the period for which
accrued interest is being calculated. Unless otherwise indicated
in the pricing supplement, the accrued interest factor will be
computed and interest will be paid (including payments for
partial periods) as follows:
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for federal funds rate notes, LIBOR notes, prime rate notes, or
any other floating-rate notes other than treasury rate notes,
the daily interest factor will be computed by dividing the
interest rate in effect on that day by 360; and |
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for treasury rate notes, the daily interest factor will be
computed by dividing the interest rate in effect on that day by
365 or 366, as applicable. |
All dollar amounts used in or resulting from any calculation on
floating-rate notes will be rounded to the nearest cent, with
one-half cent being rounded upward. Unless otherwise specified
in the pricing supplement, all percentages resulting from any
calculation with respect to a floating-rate note will be
rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of
a percent, with five one-millionths of a percentage point
rounded upwards, e.g., 9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded to
9.87655% (or .0987655).
The calculation agent, upon the request of the holder of any
floating-rate note, will provide the interest rate then in
effect and, if different, the interest rate that will become
effective on the next interest reset date as a result of a
determination made on the most recent interest determination
date with respect to the floating-rate note.
LIBOR Notes. Each LIBOR note will bear interest at
the LIBOR base rate, adjusted by any spread or spread
multiplier, as specified in the pricing supplement. The LIBOR
base rate will be the London interbank offered rate for deposits
in U.S. dollars or any index currency, as specified in the
pricing supplement. Except as provided below, LIBOR for each
interest reset period will be calculated on the interest
determination date for the related interest reset date.
On each interest determination date, the calculation agent will
determine LIBOR as follows:
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If LIBOR Telerate is specified in the pricing
supplement, LIBOR will be the rate for deposits in the relevant
index currency having the index maturity described in the
pricing supplement commencing on the related interest reset
date, as the rate appears on the designated LIBOR page in the
pricing supplement as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on that
interest determination date. |
S-15
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If LIBOR Reuters is specified in the pricing
supplement, LIBOR will be the arithmetic mean of the offered
rates for deposits in the relevant index currency having the
index maturity described in the pricing supplement commencing on
the related interest reset date, as the rates appear on the
designated LIBOR page in the pricing supplement as of
11:00 A.M., London time, on that interest determination
date, if at least two offered rates appear on the designated
LIBOR page, except that, if the designated LIBOR page only
provides for a single rate, that single rate will be used. |
If the pricing supplement does not specify LIBOR
Telerate or LIBOR Reuters, the LIBOR rate will
be LIBOR Telerate.
If LIBOR Telerate applies and the rate described
above does not appear on that page, or if LIBOR
Reuters applies and fewer than two of the rates described
above appears on that page or no rate appears on any page on
which only one rate normally appears, then the calculation agent
will determine LIBOR as follows:
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The calculation agent will select four major banks in the London
interbank market, which may include us, our affiliates, or
affiliates of the agents. On the interest determination date,
those four banks will be requested to provide their offered
quotations for deposits in the relevant index currency having an
index maturity specified in the pricing supplement commencing on
the interest reset date to prime banks in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time. |
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If at least two quotations are provided, the calculation agent
will determine LIBOR as the arithmetic mean of those quotations. |
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If fewer than two quotations are provided, the calculation agent
will select three major banks in New York City, which may
include us, our affiliates, or affiliates of the agents. On the
interest determination date, those three banks will be requested
to provide their offered quotations for loans in the relevant
index currency having an index maturity specified in the pricing
supplement commencing on the interest reset date to leading
European banks at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time.
The calculation agent will determine LIBOR as the arithmetic
mean of those quotations. |
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If fewer than three New York City banks selected by the
calculation agent are quoting rates, LIBOR for that interest
reset period will remain LIBOR then in effect on the interest
determination date. |
Treasury Rate Notes. Each treasury rate note will
bear interest at the treasury rate plus or minus any spread and
multiplied by any spread multiplier described in the pricing
supplement. Except as provided below, the treasury rate for each
interest reset period will be calculated on the interest
determination date for the related interest reset date.
The treasury rate for any interest determination
date is the rate set at the auction of direct obligations of the
United States (Treasury bills) having the index
maturity described in the pricing supplement, as specified under
the caption Investment Rate on the display on
Moneyline Telerate, or any successor service, on page 56 or
any other page as may replace page 56, or page 57 or
any other page as may replace page 57.
If the rate cannot be determined as described above, the
treasury rate will be determined as follows:
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If the rate is not displayed on Moneyline Telerate by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related calculation
date, the treasury rate will be the rate of Treasury bills as
published in H.15 Daily Update, or another recognized electronic
source used for the purpose of displaying the applicable rate,
under the caption U.S. Government Securities/
Treasury Bills/ Auction High. |
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(2) |
If the rate referred to in (1) above is not published by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related calculation
date, the treasury rate will be the bond equivalent yield, as
defined below, of the auction rate of the applicable Treasury
bills as announced by the United States Department of the
Treasury. |
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If the rate referred to in (2) above is not announced by
the United States Department of the Treasury, or if the auction
is not held, the treasury rate will be the bond equivalent yield
of the |
S-16
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rate on the particular interest determination date of the
applicable Treasury bills as published in H.15(519) under the
caption U.S. Government Securities/ Treasury Bills/
Secondary Market. |
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(4) |
If the rate referred to in (3) above is not published by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related calculation
date, the treasury rate will be the rate on the particular
interest determination date of the applicable Treasury bills as
published in H.15 Daily Update, or another recognized electronic
source used for the purpose of displaying the applicable rate,
under the caption U.S. Government Securities/
Treasury Bills/ Secondary Market. |
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(5) |
If the rate referred to in (4) above is not published by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related calculation
date, the treasury rate will be the rate on the particular
interest determination date calculated by the calculation agent
as the bond equivalent yield of the arithmetic mean of the
secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 P.M.,
New York City time, on that interest determination date, of
three primary United States government securities dealers, which
may include the agent or its affiliates, selected by the
calculation agent, for the issue of Treasury bills with a
remaining maturity closest to the particular index maturity. |
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If the dealers selected by the calculation agent are not quoting
as mentioned in (5) above, the treasury rate will be the
treasury rate in effect on the particular interest determination
date. |
The bond equivalent yield will be calculated using the following
formula:
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Bond equivalent yield =
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D x N
360-(D
x M) |
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where D refers to the applicable annual rate for
Treasury bills quoted on a bank discount basis and expressed as
a decimal, N refers to 365 or 366, as the case may
be, and M refers to the actual number of days in the
applicable interest reset period.
H.15(519) means the weekly statistical release
designated as H.15(519), or any successor publication, published
by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
H.15 Daily Update means the daily update of
H.15(519), available through the website of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System at
www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h15/update, or any successor
site or publication.
Federal Funds Rate Notes. Each federal funds rate
note will bear interest at the federal funds rate plus or minus
any spread and multiplied by any spread multiplier described in
the pricing supplement. Except as provided below, the federal
funds rate for each interest reset period will be calculated on
the interest determination date for the related interest reset
date.
The federal funds rate for any interest
determination date is the rate on that date for federal funds,
as published in H.15(519) prior to 3:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the calculation date for that interest determination
date under the heading Federal Funds (Effective) and
displayed on Moneyline Telerate, or any successor service, on
page 120 or any other page as may replace the specified
page on that service (Telerate Page 120).
The following procedures will be followed if the federal funds
rate cannot be determined as described above:
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If the rate is not published in H.15(519) by 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the calculation date or does not appear on
Telerate Page 120, the federal funds rate will be the rate
on that interest determination date, as published in H.15 Daily
Update, or any other recognized electronic source for the
purposes of displaying the applicable rate, under the caption
Federal Funds (Effective). |
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If the alternative rate described above is not published in H.15
Daily Update by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
calculation date, then the calculation agent will determine the
federal funds rate to be the average of the rates for the last
transaction in overnight federal funds quoted by three leading |
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brokers of federal funds transactions in New York City, selected
by the calculation agent, prior to 9:00 A.M., New York City
time, on that interest determination date. |
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If fewer than three brokers selected by the calculation agent
are quoting as described above, the federal funds rate will be
the federal funds rate then in effect on that interest
determination date. |
Prime Rate Notes. Each prime rate note will bear
interest at the prime rate plus or minus any spread and
multiplied by any spread multiplier described in the pricing
supplement. Except as provided below, the prime rate for each
interest reset period will be calculated on the interest
determination date for the related interest reset date.
The prime rate for any interest determination date
is the prime rate or base lending rate on that date, as
published in H.15(519) prior to 3:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the calculation date for that interest determination
date under the heading Bank Prime Loan.
The following procedures will be followed if the prime rate
cannot be determined as described above:
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If the rate is not published in H.15(519) by 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the calculation date, then the prime rate
will be the rate as published in H.15 Daily Update, or any other
recognized electronic source used for the purpose of displaying
the applicable rate, under the caption Bank Prime
Loan. |
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If the alternative rate described above is not published in H.15
Daily Update or another recognized electronic source by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the calculation date,
then the calculation agent will determine the prime rate to be
the arithmetic mean of the rates of interest publicly announced
by each bank that appears on the Reuters screen US PRIME 1,
as defined below, as that banks prime rate or base lending
rate as in effect as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on
that interest determination date. |
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If fewer than four rates appear on the Reuters screen US PRIME 1
for that interest determination date, by 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, then the prime rate will be the average of the
prime rates or base lending rates furnished in New York City by
three substitute banks or trust companies (all organized under
the laws of the United States or any of its states and having
total equity capital of at least $500,000,000) selected by the
calculation agent on the interest determination date. These
selected banks or trust companies may include our subsidiaries
or affiliates, or affiliates of the agent. |
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If the banks selected by the calculation agent are not quoting
as described above, the prime rate will remain the prime rate
then in effect on the interest determination date. |
Reuters screen US PRIME 1 means the display
designated as page US PRIME 1 on the Reuters Monitor
Money Rates Service (or any other page as may replace the US
PRIME 1 page on that service for the purpose of displaying prime
rates or base lending rates of major United States banks).
Original Issue Discount Notes
We may issue original issue discount notes, including zero
coupon notes, which we refer to as OID notes. These
notes may be fixed rate, floating rate, or indexed notes that
are issued at a price lower than their principal amount or lower
than their minimum repayment amount at maturity. OID notes may
bear no interest or may bear interest at a rate that is below
market rates at the time of issuance. For notes that do not have
any periodic interest payments, interest normally accrues during
the life of the notes and is paid at the maturity date or upon
earlier redemption or prepayment. Upon an acceleration of the
maturity of an OID note, the amount of interest payable will be
determined in accordance with the terms of the note as described
in the pricing supplement. That amount is normally less than the
amount payable at the maturity date. Additional information
relating to OID notes can be found in the section entitled
Certain United States Federal Income Tax
Consequences United States Holders
Original Issue Discount.
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Indexed Notes
General. We may issue indexed notes, in which the
amount of principal, premium (if any), interest, or other
amounts payable (if any) is determined by reference, either
directly or indirectly, to the price or performance of one or
more:
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securities; |
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currencies or composite currencies; |
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commodities; |
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interest rates; |
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stock indices; or |
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other indices or formulae; |
in each case as specified in the pricing supplement.
An example of indexed notes that we may offer is:
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equity linked indexed notes, for which the
principal, interest, or other amounts payable is determined by
reference to the change in value in equity prices, such as a
publicly traded security or an index of publicly traded
securities. The final amount payable at maturity, at our option,
may be cash or physical delivery of the underlying equity
securities. |
Holders of indexed notes may receive a principal amount at
maturity that is greater than or less than the face amount of
the notes, depending upon the relative value at maturity of the
reference asset or underlying obligation.
An indexed note may provide either for cash settlement or for
physical settlement by delivery of the indexed security or
securities, or other securities of the types listed above. An
indexed note also may provide that the form of settlement may be
determined at our option or the holders option. Some
indexed notes may be exchangeable prior to maturity, at our
option or the holders option, for the related securities.
We will set forth in the pricing supplement the method for
determining the principal, premium (if any), interest, or other
amounts payable (if any) in respect of that tranche of indexed
notes, certain historical information with respect to the
specified index or indexed items, specific risk factors relating
to that particular type of indexed note, and tax considerations
associated with an investment in the indexed notes.
Upon the request of the holder of an indexed note, the
calculation agent will provide, if applicable, the current
index, principal, premium (if any), rate of interest, interest
payable, or other amounts payable (if any) in connection with
the indexed note.
Indexed Amortizing Notes. We may offer indexed
amortizing notes, the rate of amortization and final
maturity of which are subject to periodic adjustment based upon
the degree to which an objective base or index rate such as
LIBOR, called a reference rate, coincides with a
specified target rate. Indexed amortizing notes may
provide for adjustment of the amortization rate either on every
interest payment date, or only on interest payment dates that
occur after a specified lockout date. Each indexed
amortizing note will include an amortization table, specifying
the rate at which the principal of the note is to be amortized
following any applicable interest payment date, based upon the
difference between the reference rate and the target rate. The
specific terms of, and any additional considerations relating
to, indexed amortizing notes will be set forth in the pricing
supplement.
Extendible Notes
We may issue extendible notes, which are notes for which the
maturity date may be extended at our option for one or more
whole year periods, up to but not beyond the final maturity date
stated in the note.
S-19
The specific terms of and any additional considerations relating
to extendible notes will be set forth in the pricing supplement.
Renewable Notes
We may issue renewable notes, which are notes for which the
maturity may be renewed at the option of the holder of the note,
for one or more specified periods up to but not beyond the final
maturity date stated in the note. The specific terms of the
renewal option and any additional considerations relating to
renewable notes will be set forth in the pricing supplement.
Redemption
The pricing supplement will indicate whether we have the option
to redeem notes prior to their maturity date. If we may redeem
the notes prior to maturity, the pricing supplement will
indicate the redemption price and method for redemption.
Repayment
The pricing supplement will indicate whether the notes can be
repaid at the holders option prior to their maturity date.
If the notes may be repaid prior to maturity, the applicable
supplement will indicate our cost to repay the notes and the
procedure for repayment.
Reopenings
We have the ability to reopen, or later increase,
the principal amount of a particular note, a tranche of notes,
or a series of our notes without notice to the holders of
existing notes by selling additional notes having the same
terms. However, any new notes of this kind may begin to bear
interest on a different date.
Other Provisions
Any provisions with respect to the determination of an interest
rate basis, the specification of interest rate basis, the
calculation of the applicable interest rate, the amounts payable
at maturity, interest payment dates, or any other related
matters for a particular tranche of notes, may be modified as
described in the pricing supplement.
Repurchase
We, or our affiliates, may purchase at any time our notes in the
open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at
negotiated prices. If we purchase notes in this manner, we have
the discretion to either hold, resell, or cancel any repurchased
notes.
CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following is a summary of the principal United States
federal income tax consequences relating to your purchase,
ownership, and sale of notes. It is based upon the relevant laws
and rules that are now in effect and as they are currently
interpreted. However, these laws and rules may be changed at any
time, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion deals
only with holders that will hold notes as capital assets, and
does not address the United States federal income tax
consequences applicable to all categories of investors. In
particular, the discussion does not deal with those of you who
may be in special tax situations, such as dealers in securities,
insurance companies, financial institutions, regulated
investment companies, or tax-exempt entities. It does not
include any description of the tax laws of any state or local
governments, or of any foreign government, that may be
applicable to the notes or to you as a holder of the notes. This
summary also may not apply to all forms of notes that we may
issue. If the tax consequences associated with
S-20
a particular form of note are different than those described
below, they will be discussed in the pricing supplement relating
to that note.
The United States federal income tax discussion that appears
below is included in this prospectus supplement for your general
information. Some or all of the discussion may not apply to you
depending upon your particular situation. You should consult
your tax advisor concerning the tax consequences to you of
owning and disposing of the notes, including the tax
consequences under state, local, foreign, and other tax laws and
the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
As used in this prospectus supplement, the term United
States holder means a beneficial owner of a note that is
for United States federal income tax purposes:
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an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
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an entity which is a corporation or partnership for United
States federal income tax purposes created or organized in or
under the laws of the United States or of any state or the
District of Columbia (other than a partnership that is not
treated as a United States person under any applicable Treasury
regulations); |
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an estate whose income is subject to United States federal
income tax regardless of its source; |
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a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise
primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one
or more United States persons have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust; or |
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any other persons whose income or gain in respect of the notes
is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States
trade or business. |
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, to the extent provided
in Treasury regulations, some trusts in existence on
August 20, 1996, and treated as United States persons prior
to that date, that elect to continue to be treated as United
States persons also will be United States holders.
A Non-United States holder is a holder that is not a
United States holder.
United States Holders
Interest on a note generally will be taxable to you as ordinary
income at the time you accrue or receive the interest in
accordance with your accounting method for tax purposes.
However, special rules apply to a note that is issued with
original issue discount (OID).
Some of your notes may be issued with OID. For tax purposes, OID
is the excess of the stated redemption price at
maturity of a debt instrument over its issue
price unless that excess is less than
1/4
of 1% of the debt instruments stated redemption price at
maturity multiplied by the number of complete years from its
issue date to its maturity or weighted average maturity in the
case of notes with more than one principal payment (the
OID de minimis amount), in which case, it is
not OID. The stated redemption price at maturity of
a note is the sum of all payments required to be made on the
note other than qualified stated interest payments.
The issue price of a note is generally the first
offering price to the public at which a substantial amount of
the debt instrument is sold. The term qualified stated
interest generally means stated interest that is
unconditionally payable in cash or property (other than debt
instruments of the issuer), or that is treated as constructively
received, at least annually at a single fixed rate or, under
certain conditions in connection with the special rules relating
to floating-rate notes, at a variable rate. If a note bears
interest during any accrual period at a rate below the rate
applicable for the remaining term of the note (for example,
notes with teaser rates or interest holidays), then some or all
of the stated interest may not be treated as qualified stated
interest.
S-21
You are required to include qualified stated interest payments
in income as interest when you accrue or receive those payments
(in accordance with your accounting method for tax purposes). If
you hold a note with OID with a maturity of more than one year,
you may be required to include OID in income before you receive
the associated cash payment, regardless of your accounting
method for tax purposes. If you are an initial purchaser of an
OID note, the amount of the OID you should include in income is
the sum of the daily accruals of the OID for the note for each
day during the taxable year (or portion of the taxable year) in
which you held the OID note. The daily portion is determined by
allocating the OID for each day of the accrual period. An
accrual period may be of any length and the accrual periods may
even vary in length over the term of the OID note, provided that
each accrual period is no longer than one year and each
scheduled payment of principal or interest occurs either on the
first day of an accrual period or on the final day of an accrual
period. The amount of OID allocable to an accrual period is
equal to the difference between (1) the product of the
adjusted issue price of the OID note at the
beginning of the accrual period and its yield to maturity
(computed generally on a constant yield method and compounded at
the end of each accrual period, taking into account the length
of the particular accrual period) and (2) the amount of any
qualified stated interest allocable to the accrual period. The
adjusted issue price of an OID note at the beginning
of any accrual period is the sum of the issue price of the OID
note plus the amount of OID allocable to all prior accrual
periods reduced by any payments you received on the note that
were not qualified stated interest. Under these rules, you
generally will have to include in income increasingly greater
amounts of OID in successive accrual periods.
If you are not an initial purchaser of an OID note and you
purchase an OID note for greater than its adjusted issue price
as the purchase date and less than or equal to the sum of all
amounts payable on the OID note after the purchase date other
than payments of qualified stated interest, you will have
purchased the OID note at an acquisition premium.
Under the acquisition premium rules, the amount of OID which you
must include in your gross income for the note for any taxable
year (or any portion of a taxable year in which you hold the
note) will be reduced (but not below zero) by the portion of the
acquisition premium allocated to the period.
Instead of reporting under your normal accounting method, you
may elect to include in gross income all interest that accrues
on an OID note by using the constant yield method applicable to
OID, subject to certain limitations and exceptions. For purposes
of this election, interest includes stated interest, acquisition
discount, OID, de minimis OID, market discount, de
minimis market discount, and unstated interest as adjusted
by any amortizable bond premium or acquisition premium.
The rules described above will also generally apply to OID notes
with maturities of one year or less, which we refer to as
short-term notes, but with some modifications.
First, the OID rules treat none of the interest on a short-term
note as qualified stated interest, but treat a short-term note
as having OID. Thus, all short-term notes will be OID notes.
Except as we note below, if you are a cash-basis holder of a
short-term note and you do not identify the short-term note as
part of a hedging transaction, you generally will not be
required to accrue OID currently, but you will be required to
treat any gain realized on a sale, exchange, or retirement of
the note as ordinary income to the extent such gain does not
exceed the OID accrued with respect to the note during the
period you held the note. You may not be allowed to deduct all
of the interest paid or accrued on any indebtedness incurred or
maintained to purchase or carry a short-term note until the
maturity of the note or its earlier disposition in a taxable
transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you are a
cash-basis United States holder of a short-term note, you may
elect to accrue OID on a current basis. If you make this
election, the limitation on the deductibility of interest we
describe above will not apply. A United States holder using the
accrual method of tax accounting and some cash method holders
(including banks, securities dealers, regulated investment
companies, and certain trust funds) generally will be required
to include OID on a short-term note in gross income on a current
basis. OID will be treated as accruing for these purposes on a
ratable basis or, at the election of the holder, on a constant
yield basis based on daily compounding.
S-22
Second, regardless of whether you are a cash-basis or
accrual-basis holder, if you are the holder of a short-term note
you may elect to accrue any acquisition discount
with respect to the note on a current basis. Acquisition
discount is the excess of the remaining redemption amount of the
note at the time of acquisition over the purchase price.
Acquisition discount will be treated as accruing ratably or, at
the election of the holder, under a constant yield method based
on daily compounding. If you elect to accrue acquisition
discount, the OID rules will not apply.
Finally, the market discount rules we describe below will not
apply to short-term notes.
If you purchase a note at a cost greater than the notes
remaining redemption amount, you will be considered to have
purchased the note at a premium, and you may elect to amortize
the premium as an offset to interest income, using a constant
yield method, over the remaining term of the note. If you make
this election, it generally will apply to all debt instruments
that you hold at the time of the election, as well as any debt
instruments that you subsequently acquire. In addition, you may
not revoke the election without the consent of the IRS. If you
elect to amortize the premium, you will be required to reduce
your tax basis in the note by the amount of the premium
amortized during your holding period. OID notes purchased at a
premium will not be subject to the OID rules described above. If
you do not elect to amortize premium, the amount of premium will
be included in your tax basis in the note. Therefore, if you do
not elect to amortize premium and you hold the note to maturity,
you generally will be required to treat the premium as capital
loss when the note matures.
If you purchase a note at a price that is lower than the
notes remaining redemption amount (or in the case of an
OID note, the notes adjusted issue price), by 0.25% or
more of the remaining redemption amount (or adjusted issue
price), multiplied by the number of remaining whole years to
maturity, the note will be considered to have market
discount in your hands. In this case, any gain that you
realize on the disposition of the note generally will be treated
as ordinary interest income to the extent of the market discount
that accrued on the note during your holding period. In
addition, you may be required to defer the deduction of a
portion of the interest paid on any indebtedness that you
incurred or maintained to purchase or carry the note. In
general, market discount will be treated as accruing ratably
over the term of the note, or, at your election, under a
constant yield method.
You may elect to include market discount in gross income
currently as it accrues (on either a ratable or constant yield
basis), in lieu of treating a portion of any gain realized on a
sale of the note as ordinary income. If you elect to include
market discount on a current basis, the interest deduction
deferral rule described above will not apply. If you do make
such an election, it will apply to all market discount debt
instruments that you acquire on or after the first day of the
first taxable year to which the election applies. The election
may not be revoked without the consent of the IRS.
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Sale, Exchange, or Retirement of Notes |
Upon the sale, exchange, retirement, or other disposition of a
note, you will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference
between the amount you realize from the disposition and your tax
basis in the note, except that any amount realized that is
attributable to accrued interest will be included in your gross
income as interest income. Your tax basis in a note initially is
your cost for the note. This amount is increased by any
original issue discount or market
discount previously included by you in income with respect
to the note and is decreased by the amount of any
premium you previously amortized and the amount of
any payment (other than a payment of qualified stated
interest) you have received in respect of the note.
Except as discussed above with respect to market discount, gain
or loss realized by you on the sale, exchange, retirement, or
other disposition of a note generally will be capital gain or
loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the note has
been held for more than one year. Net long-term capital gain
recognized by
S-23
an individual United States Holder generally will be subject to
tax at a maximum rate of 15%. The ability of United States
Holders to offset capital losses against ordinary income is
limited. The terms market discount,
premium, original issue discount, and
qualified stated interest are defined above.
If a note provides for contingent payments (as in the case of
some indexed notes), special rules may apply to the treatment of
the note. Under those rules, any gain you realize when you sell
or dispose of a note will be ordinary income if the
contingencies relating to the payments are unresolved at the
time of disposition and some or all of any loss may be ordinary.
Different rules also may apply to the calculation of your tax
basis for the note. If a note will provide for contingent
payments, these rules will be discussed in greater detail in the
pricing supplement.
The IRS has issued regulations regarding whether additional debt
instruments issued in a reopening will be considered part of the
same issue, with the same issue price and yield to maturity, as
the original debt instruments for tax purposes. Except as
provided in a pricing supplement, we expect that additional
notes issued by us in any reopening will be issued such that
they will be considered part of the original issuance to which
they relate.
Non-United States Holders
This section discusses the principal United States federal tax
consequences applicable to Non-United States Holders of
purchasing, owning and selling notes.
Principal (and premium, if any) and interest payments, including
any OID, that you receive from us or our agent generally will
not be subject to United States federal withholding tax.
However, interest, including any OID, may be subject to a 30%
withholding tax (or less under an applicable treaty, if any) if
(1) you actually or constructively own 10% or more of the
total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled
to vote, (2) you are a controlled foreign corporation for
United States tax purposes that is related to us (directly or
indirectly) through stock ownership, (3) you are a bank
extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement in the ordinary
course of your trade or business, or (4) either
(A) you do not certify to us or our agent, under penalties
of perjury, that you are a Non-United States person and provide
your name and address (which certification may be made on an IRS
Form W-8BEN, or a successor form), or (B) a securities
clearing organization, bank, or other financial institution that
holds customer securities in the ordinary course of its trade or
business (a financial institution) and holds the
note does not certify to us or our agent under penalties of
perjury that either it or another financial institution has
received the required statement from you certifying that you are
a Non-United States person and furnishes us with a copy of the
statement.
If you are in a trade or business in the United States and
interest, including any OID, on the note is effectively
connected with the conduct of your trade or business, you may be
subject to United States federal income tax on that interest and
any OID in the same manner as if you were a United States
person. You should read the material under the heading
United States Holders, for a description of the
United States tax consequences of purchasing, owning, and
selling notes. If you are a foreign corporation, you may also be
subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% of your effectively
connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, subject to
certain adjustments. Instead of the certification described in
the preceding paragraph, if you have effectively connected
interest income you must provide the payer with a properly
executed IRS
Form W-8ECI to
claim an exemption from United States federal withholding tax.
You will not be subject to United States federal income tax or
withholding taxes on any capital gain or market discount you
realize upon retirement or disposition of a note if (1) the
gain is not effectively connected with a United States trade or
business carried on by you, and (2) you are an individual,
and you are not present in the United States for 183 days
or more in the taxable year of the retirement or disposition.
S-24
Renewable Notes, Floating-Rate Notes, Extendible Notes,
Foreign Currency Notes, and Indexed Notes
Special United States federal income tax rules for renewable
notes, floating-rate notes, extendible notes, foreign currency
notes, or indexed notes will be discussed in the applicable
pricing supplement.
Reportable Transactions
Treasury regulations require taxpayers that participate in
reportable transactions to disclose their
participation to the IRS by attaching Form 8886 to their
tax returns and to retain a copy of all documents and records
related to the transaction. In addition, organizers and sellers
of this type of a transaction are required to maintain records,
including lists identifying investors in the transaction, and
must furnish those records to the IRS upon demand. A transaction
may be a reportable transaction based on any of
several criteria, one or more of which may be present with
respect to an investment in the notes. Unless set forth in the
applicable pricing supplement, we do not believe that the
issuance of the notes constitutes a reportable
transaction as defined in the regulations. However,
whether an investment in the notes constitutes a
reportable transaction for any investor depends on
the investors particular circumstances. Investors should
consult their own tax advisors concerning any possible
disclosure obligation they may have with respect to their
investment in the notes and should be aware that, should we (or
other participants in the transaction) determine that the
investor list maintenance requirement applies to this
transaction, we (or they) would comply with that requirement.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, payments of principal, premium (if any), interest,
and other amounts payment (if any) (including original issue
discount, if any) with respect to a note will be subject to
reporting and possibly backup withholding. Reporting means that
the payment is required to be reported to you and the IRS.
Backup withholding means that we (or any paying agent) are
required to collect and deposit a portion of the payment with
the IRS as a tax payment on your behalf. If applicable, backup
withholding will be imposed at a rate of 28%. This rate is
scheduled to increase to 31% after 2010.
If you are a United States person (other than a corporation or
certain exempt organizations), you may be subject to backup
withholding if you do not supply an accurate taxpayer
identification number and certify that your taxpayer
identification number is correct. You may also be subject to
backup withholding if the United States Secretary of the
Treasury determines that you have not reported all interest and
dividend income required to be shown on your United States
federal income tax return or if you do not certify that you have
not underreported your interest and dividend income. If you are
not a United States person, backup withholding and information
reporting will not apply to payments made to you if you have
provided the required certification that you are a Non-United
States person, as described under the heading Non-United
States Holders, or you otherwise establish an exemption,
provided that the payor does not have actual knowledge that you
are a United States person or that the conditions of any
exemption are not satisfied.
In addition, payments of the proceeds from the sale of a note to
or through a foreign office of a broker or the foreign office of
a custodian, nominee, or other dealer acting on your behalf
generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup
withholding. However, if the broker, custodian, nominee, or
other dealer is a United States person, the government of the
United States or the government of any state or political
subdivision of any state, or any agency or instrumentality of
any of these governmental units, a controlled foreign
corporation for United States tax purposes, a foreign
partnership that is either engaged in a United States trade or
business or whose United States partners in the aggregate hold
more than 50% of the income or capital interest in the
partnership, a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income
for a certain period is effectively connected with a United
States trade or business, or a United States branch of a foreign
bank or insurance company, information reporting (but not backup
withholding) generally will be required with respect to payments
made to you unless the broker, custodian, nominee, or other
dealer has documentation of your foreign status and the broker,
custodian, nominee, or other dealer has no actual
S-25
knowledge to the contrary. Alternatively, you may otherwise
establish an exemption from information reporting.
Payment of the proceeds from a sale of a note to or through the
United States office of a broker is subject to information
reporting and backup withholding, unless you certify as to your
non-United States status or otherwise establish an exemption
from information reporting and backup withholding.
Any amounts withheld from your payment under the backup
withholding rules would be refundable or allowable as a credit
against your United States federal income tax liability.
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT
A fiduciary of a pension plan or other employee benefit plan
(including a governmental plan, an individual retirement
account, or a Keogh plan) subject to the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as
ERISA) should consider fiduciary standards under
ERISA in the context of the particular circumstances of that
plan before authorizing an investment in the notes. A fiduciary
also should consider whether the investment is authorized by,
and in accordance with, the documents and instruments governing
the plan.
In addition, ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code, or the
Code, prohibit a number of transactions (referred to
as prohibited transactions) involving the assets of
a plan subject to ERISA or the assets of an individual
retirement account or plan subject to Section 4975 of the
Code (referred to as an ERISA plan), on the one
hand, and persons who have specified relationships with the plan
(parties in interest within the meaning of ERISA or
disqualified persons within the meaning of the
Code), on the other. If we (or an affiliate) are considered a
party in interest or a disqualified person for an ERISA plan,
then the investment in notes by that ERISA plan may give rise to
a prohibited transaction unless the notes are acquired under an
exemption for transactions effected on behalf of that plan by a
qualified professional asset manager or an
in-house asset manager, for transactions involving
insurance company general accounts, for transactions involving
insurance company pooled separate accounts, for transactions
involving bank collective trusts, or under another available
exemption. There are several ways by which we or our affiliates
may be considered a party in interest or a disqualified person
for an ERISA plan. For example, if we provide banking or
financial advisory services to an ERISA plan, or act as a
trustee or in a similar fiduciary role for ERISA plan assets, we
may be considered a party in interest or a disqualified person
with respect to that ERISA plan.
If an ERISA plan engages in a prohibited transaction, the
transaction may require correction and may cause the
ERISA plan fiduciary to incur liabilities and the parties in
interest or disqualified persons to be subject to excise taxes.
Therefore, an ERISA plan should not invest in the notes unless
the plan fiduciary or other person acquiring notes on behalf of
the ERISA plan determines that neither we nor an affiliate is a
party in interest or a disqualified person or, alternatively,
that an exemption from the prohibited transaction rules is
available. By purchasing and holding the notes, the person
making the decision to invest on behalf of an ERISA plan is
representing that the purchase and holding of the notes is
consistent with the terms of the plan and will not result in a
prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code.
If you are the fiduciary of a pension plan or other ERISA plan,
or an insurance company that is providing investment advice or
other features to a pension plan or other ERISA plan, and you
propose to invest in the notes with the assets of the ERISA
plan, you should consult your own legal counsel for further
guidance.
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We are offering the notes for sale on a continuing basis through
the agents. The agents may act either on a principal basis or on
an agency basis. We may offer the notes at varying prices
relating to prevailing market prices at the time of resale, as
determined by the agents, or, if so specified in the applicable
pricing supplement, for resale at a fixed public offering price.
S-26
If we sell notes on an agency basis, we will pay a commission to
the agent to be negotiated at the time of sale. Unless otherwise
agreed and specified in the pricing supplement, the commission
may range from .125% to .750% of the principal amount of the
notes sold, and we may receive from 99.875% to 99.250% of the
principal amount of each note so sold. Each agent will use its
reasonable best efforts when we request it to solicit purchases
of the notes.
Unless otherwise agreed and specified in the pricing supplement,
if notes are sold to an agent acting as principal, for its own
account, or for resale to one or more investors or other
purchasers, including other broker-dealers, then any notes so
sold will be purchased by that agent at a price equal to 100% of
the principal amount of the notes less a percentage of the
principal amount that may range from .125% to .750% of the
principal amount of those notes, unless otherwise specified in
the pricing supplement. Accordingly, we may receive from 99.875%
to 99.250% of the principal amount of each note so sold, unless
otherwise specified in the pricing supplement. Notes sold in
this manner may be resold by the agent to investors and other
purchasers from time to time in one or more transactions,
including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering
price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or
the notes may be resold to other dealers for resale to
investors. The agents may allow any portion of the discount
received in connection with the purchase from us to the dealers,
but the discount allowed to any dealer will not be in excess of
the discount to be received by the agent from us. After the
initial public offering of notes, the agent may change the
public offering price or the discount allowed to dealers.
We also may sell notes directly to investors, without the
involvement of any agent. In this case, we would not be
obligated to pay any commission or discount in connection with
the sale, and we would receive 100% of the principal amount of
the note so sold, unless otherwise specified in the pricing
supplement.
We will name any agents or other persons through which we sell
any notes, as well as any commissions or discounts payable to
those agents or other persons, in the pricing supplement. As of
the date of this prospectus supplement, the agents are Banc of
America Securities LLC and Banc of America Investment Services,
Inc. These agents have entered into a distribution agreement
with us. We also may accept offers to purchase notes through
additional agents on substantially the same terms and
conditions, including commissions, as would apply to purchases
through named agents under the distribution agreement.
We have the right to withdraw, cancel, or modify the offer made
by this prospectus supplement without notice. We will have the
sole right to accept offers to purchase notes, and we, in our
absolute discretion, may reject any proposed purchase of notes
in whole or in part. Each agent will have the right, in its
reasonable discretion, to reject in whole or in part any
proposed purchase of notes through that agent.
Any agent participating in the distribution of the notes may be
considered to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the
Securities Act. We have agreed to indemnify each agent and
certain other persons against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to
payments the agents may be required to make. We also have agreed
to reimburse the agents for certain expenses.
The notes will not have an established trading market when
issued and we do not intend to list the notes on any securities
exchange unless otherwise specified in the pricing supplement.
Any agent may purchase and sell notes in the secondary market
from time to time. However, no agent is obligated to do so, and
any agent may discontinue making a market in the notes at any
time without notice. There is no assurance that there will be a
secondary market for any of the notes.
To facilitate offering the notes by an agent that purchases
notes as principal, and in accordance with industry practice,
agents may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or
otherwise affect the market price of the notes or any other
securities. Those transactions may include overallotment,
entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate-covering
transactions, and imposing penalty bids to reclaim selling
concessions allowed to a member of the syndicate or to a dealer,
as follows:
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An overallotment in connection with an offering creates a short
position in the offered securities for the agents own
account. |
S-27
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An agent may place a stabilizing bid to purchase a note for the
purpose of pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of that
note. |
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Agents may engage in syndicate-covering transactions to cover
overallotments or to stabilize the price of the notes by bidding
for, and purchasing, the notes or any other securities in the
open market in order to reduce a short position created in
connection with the offering. |
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The agent that serves as syndicate manager may impose a penalty
bid on a syndicate member to reclaim a selling concession in
connection with an offering when offered securities originally
sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate-covering
transactions or otherwise. |
Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market
price of the securities above independent market levels. The
agents are not required to engage in these activities, and may
end any of these activities at any time.
Banc of America Securities LLC and Banc of America Investment
Services, Inc., each an agent and one of our affiliates, are
broker-dealers and members of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Each initial offering and any
remarketing of notes involving any of our broker-dealer
affiliates, including Banc of America Securities LLC and Banc of
America Investment Services, Inc., will be conducted in
compliance with the requirements of Rule 2720 of the
Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. regarding the offer and sale of securities of an affiliate.
Following the initial distribution of any notes, our affiliates,
including Banc of America Securities LLC, may buy and sell the
notes in market-making transactions as part of their business as
a broker-dealer. Resales of this kind may occur in the open
market or may be privately negotiated at prevailing market
prices at the time of sale. Notes may be sold in connection with
a remarketing after their purchase by one or more firms. Any of
our affiliates may act as principal or agent in these
transactions.
This prospectus supplement may be used by one or more of our
affiliates in connection with offers and sales related to
market-making transactions in the notes, including block
positioning and block trades, to the extent permitted by
applicable law. Any of our affiliates may act as principal or
agent in these transactions. None of Banc of America Securities
LLC, Banc of America Investment Services, Inc. or any other
member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
participating in the distribution of the notes will execute a
transaction in the notes in a discretionary account without
specific prior written approval of the customer.
The aggregate initial offering price specified on the cover of
this prospectus supplement relates to the initial offering of
the notes as of the date of this prospectus supplement. This
amount does not include the notes to be sold in market-making
transactions. Notes sold in market-making transactions include
notes issued after the date of this prospectus supplement as
well as securities previously issued. Information about the
trade and settlement dates, as well as the purchase price, for a
market-making transaction will be provided to the purchaser in a
separate confirmation of sale. Unless we or an agent informs the
investor in the confirmation of sale that the note is being
purchased in an original offering and sale, the purchaser may
assume that the note is being purchased in a market-making
transaction.
Banc of America Securities LLC as well as several of the other
agents or their affiliates have engaged, and may in the future
engage, in investment banking, commercial banking, and financial
advisory transactions with us and our affiliates. These
transactions are in the ordinary course of business for the
agents and us and our respective affiliates. In these
transactions, the agents or their affiliates receive customary
fees and expenses.
S-28
PROSPECTUS
$30,000,000,000
Debt Securities, Warrants, Units, Preferred Stock,
Depositary Shares, and Common Stock
We may offer to sell up to $30,000,000,000, or the
U.S. dollar equivalent, of:
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debt securities; |
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warrants; |
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units, consisting of two or more securities in any combination; |
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preferred stock; |
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depositary shares, represented by fractional shares in preferred
stock; and |
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common stock. |
Our securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or a
foreign currency, currency unit, or composite currency. We also
may issue common stock upon conversion, exchange, or exercise of
any of the other securities listed above.
When we sell a particular series of securities, we will prepare
a prospectus supplement describing the offering and terms of
that series of securities. You should read this prospectus and
that prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.
We may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the securities
listed above. In addition, Banc of America Securities LLC, or
any of our other affiliates, may use this prospectus in a
market-making transaction in any of the securities listed above
or similar securities after their initial sale. Unless you are
informed otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus
is being used in a market-making transaction.
Our debt securities are unsecured and are not savings
accounts, deposits, or other obligations of a bank. Our
securities are not guaranteed by Bank of America, N.A. or any
other bank, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other governmental agency, and may involve
investment risks.
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission, 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 prospectus. Any representation to the
contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated April 14, 2004
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information from this
prospectus. To fully understand the securities we may offer, you
should read carefully:
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this prospectus, which explains the general terms of the
securities we may offer; |
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the attached prospectus supplement and any additional pricing
supplement, which explain the specific terms of the particular
securities we are offering, and which may change or update the
information in this prospectus; and |
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the documents we refer you to in Where You Can Find More
Information for information about us. |
You should rely only on the information provided in this
prospectus and in any supplement to this prospectus, including
the information we incorporate by reference. Neither we, nor any
underwriters or agents, have authorized anyone to provide you
with different information. We are not offering the securities
in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should
not assume that the information in this prospectus, or any
supplement to this prospectus, is accurate at any date other
than the date indicated on the cover page of those documents.
Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires
otherwise, all references in this prospectus to we,
us, our, or similar references are to
Bank of America Corporation.
Bank of America Corporation
Bank of America Corporation is a Delaware corporation, a bank
holding company, and a financial holding company. We provide a
diversified range of banking and nonbanking financial services
and products both domestically and internationally. Our
headquarters is located at Bank of America Corporate Center, 100
North Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255, and our
telephone number is (704) 386-5972.
The Securities We May Offer
We may offer the following securities from time to time:
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debt securities; |
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warrants; |
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units, consisting of two or more securities in any combination; |
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preferred stock; |
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depositary shares, represented by fractional shares in preferred
stock; and |
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common stock. |
When we use the term securities in this prospectus,
we mean any of the securities we may offer with this prospectus,
unless we specifically state otherwise. This prospectus,
including this summary, describes the general terms of the
securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will
provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe the
specific terms of those particular securities being offered, and
will include a discussion of some of the United States federal
income tax consequences and any risk factors or other special
considerations applicable to those particular securities. The
prospectus supplement also may add, update, or change
information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency
between the information in this prospectus and the prospectus
supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus
supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any
prospectus supplement together with additional information
described under the heading Where You Can Find More
Information before investing in any of the securities we
may offer.
1
Debt Securities
Our debt securities may be either senior or subordinated
obligations, which will be issued under separate indentures, or
contracts, that we have with The Bank of New York, as trustee.
The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be
described in a prospectus supplement.
Warrants
We may offer two types of warrants:
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warrants to purchase our debt securities; and |
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warrants to purchase or sell, or whose cash value is determined
by reference to the performance, level, or value of, one or more
of the following: |
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securities of one or more issuers, including our common or
preferred stock, other securities described in this prospectus,
or the debt or equity securities of third parties; |
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one or more currencies, currency units, or composite currencies; |
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one or more commodities; |
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any other financial, economic, or other measure or instrument,
including the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event or
circumstance; and |
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one or more indices or baskets of the items described above. |
For any warrants we may offer, we will describe in a prospectus
supplement the underlying property, the expiration date, the
exercise price or the manner of determining the exercise price,
the amount and kind, or the manner of determining the amount and
kind, of property to be delivered by you or us upon exercise,
and any other specific terms of the warrants. We will issue
warrants under warrant agreements that we will enter into with
one or more warrant agents.
Units
We may offer units consisting of two or more securities. We will
describe in a prospectus supplement the particular securities
that comprise each unit, whether or not the particular
securities will be separable and, if they will be separable, the
terms on which they will be separable, a description of the
provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer, or exchange of
the units, and any other specific terms of the units. We will
issue units under unit agreements that we will enter into with
one or more unit agents.
Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares
We may offer preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, in
one or more series. We will describe in a prospectus supplement
the specific designation, the aggregate number of shares
offered, the dividend rate, if any, and periods or manner of
calculating the dividend rate and periods, the terms on which
the preferred stock are convertible into shares of our common
stock, preferred stock of another series, or other securities,
if any, the redemption terms, if any, and any other specific
terms of our preferred stock.
We also may issue depositary receipts evidencing depositary
shares, each of which will represent fractional shares of
preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. We
will describe in a prospectus supplement any specific terms of
the depositary shares. We will issue the depositary shares under
deposit agreements between us and one or more depositories.
Form of Securities
We will issue the securities in book-entry only form through one
or more depositories, such as The Depository Trust Company,
Euroclear Bank S.A./ N.V., or Clearstream Banking,
société anonyme, Luxembourg, named in the prospectus
supplement. The securities will be represented by a global
security
2
rather than a certificate in the name of each individual
investor. Unless stated otherwise, each sale of securities will
settle in immediately available funds through the specified
depository.
A global security may be exchanged for actual notes or
certificates registered in the names of the beneficial owners
only if:
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the depository notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to
continue as depository for the global securities or we become
aware that the depository is no longer qualified as a clearing
agency, and we fail to appoint a successor to the depository
within 60 calendar days; |
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we, in our sole discretion, determine that the global securities
will be exchangeable for certificated securities; or |
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an event of default has occurred and is continuing with respect
to the securities under the applicable indenture or agreement. |
Payment Currencies
Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, all amounts
payable in respect of the securities, including the purchase
price, will be payable in U.S. dollars.
Listing
We will state in the prospectus supplement whether the
particular securities that we will offer will be listed or
quoted on a securities exchange or quotation system.
Distribution
We may offer the securities in four ways:
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through underwriters; |
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through dealers; |
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through agents; or |
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directly to purchasers. |
Banc of America Securities LLC, or any of our other affiliates,
may be an underwriter, dealer, or agent for us. These securities
will be offered in connection with their initial issuance or in
market-making transactions by our affiliates after their initial
issuance and sale. The aggregate offering price specified on the
cover of this prospectus relates only to the securities that we
have not yet issued as of the date of this prospectus.
3
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
General
Bank of America Corporation is a Delaware corporation, a bank
holding company, and a financial holding company. Bank of
America Corporation was incorporated in 1998 as part of the
merger of BankAmerica Corporation with NationsBank Corporation.
We provide a diversified range of banking and nonbanking
financial services and products in 29 states and the
District of Columbia and in selected international markets. We
provide services and products through four business segments:
(1) Consumer and Small Business, (2) Commercial
Banking, (3) Global Corporate and Investment Banking,
and (4) Wealth and Investment Management.
On October 27, 2003, we entered into an Agreement and Plan
of Merger with FleetBoston Financial Corporation, or
FleetBoston, providing for the merger of FleetBoston
with and into us (the FleetBoston Merger). The
FleetBoston Merger closed on April 1, 2004, and we were the
surviving corporation in the transaction. Following the
FleetBoston Merger, our principal banking subsidiaries are Bank
of America, N.A. and Fleet National Bank (the Banks).
Acquisitions and Sales
As part of our operations, we regularly evaluate the potential
acquisition of, and hold discussions with, various financial
institutions and other businesses of a type eligible for
financial holding company ownership or control. In addition, we
regularly analyze the values of, and submit bids for, the
acquisition of customer-based funds and other liabilities and
assets of such financial institutions and other businesses. We
also regularly consider the potential disposition of certain of
our assets, branches, subsidiaries, or lines of businesses. As a
general rule, we publicly announce any material acquisitions or
dispositions when a definitive agreement has been reached.
4
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless we describe a different use in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the
securities for general corporate purposes. General corporate
purposes include:
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our working capital needs; |
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investments in, or extensions of credit to, our banking and
nonbanking subsidiaries; |
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the possible acquisitions of other financial institutions or
their assets; |
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the possible acquisitions of, or investments in, other
businesses of a type we are permitted to acquire under
applicable law; |
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the possible reduction of our outstanding indebtedness; and |
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the possible repurchase of our outstanding equity securities. |
Until we designate the use of these net proceeds, we will invest
them temporarily. From time to time, we may engage in additional
capital financings as we determine appropriate based on our
needs and prevailing market conditions. These additional capital
financings may include the sale of other securities.
RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND
RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK
DIVIDENDS
The consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges and the
ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividend
requirements for (a) us for each of the years in the
five-year period ended December 31, 2003; and (b) us
and FleetBoston prepared using unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial information of us and FleetBoston as of
December 31, 2003, are as follows:
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Unaudited | |
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Pro Forma | |
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Year Ended | |
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December 31, | |
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2003 | |
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges:
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Excluding interest on deposits
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3.8 |
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1.8 |
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3.9 |
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Including interest on deposits
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2.5 |
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1.6 |
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Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock
Dividends Requirements:
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Excluding interest on deposits
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3.8 |
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1.8 |
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Including interest on deposits
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2.5 |
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(1) |
The pro forma information assumes that we had been combined with
FleetBoston on January 1, 2003, on a purchase accounting
basis. For additional information, see Unaudited Pro Forma
Condensed Combined Financial Information included in our
Form 8-K/ A filed
April 14, 2004. |
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The consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges is
calculated as follows: |
(net income before taxes and fixed charges - equity
in undistributed earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries)
fixed charges
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The consolidated ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
preferred stock dividends is calculated as follows: |
(net income before taxes and fixed charges - equity
in undistributed earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries)
(fixed charges + preferred stock dividend requirements)
5
Fixed charges consist of:
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interest expense, which we calculate excluding interest on
deposits in one case and including that interest in the other; |
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amortization of debt discount and appropriate issuance
costs; and |
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one-third (the amount deemed to represent an appropriate
interest factor) of net rent expense under lease commitments. |
Preferred stock dividend requirements represent dividend
requirements on our outstanding preferred stock adjusted to
reflect the pre-tax earnings that would be required to cover
those dividend requirements.
REGULATORY MATTERS
The following discussion describes elements of an extensive
regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies,
financial holding companies, and banks, as well as specific
information about us and our subsidiaries. Federal regulation of
banks, bank holding companies, and financial holding companies
is intended primarily for the protection of depositors and the
Bank Insurance Fund rather than for the protection of
securityholders and creditors.
General
As a registered bank holding company and a financial holding
company, we are subject to the supervision of, and to regular
inspection by, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, or the Federal Reserve Board. Our banking
subsidiaries are organized predominantly as national banking
associations, which are subject to regulation, supervision, and
examination by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or
the Comptroller, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, or the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Board,
and other federal and state regulatory agencies. In addition to
banking laws, regulations, and regulatory agencies, we and our
subsidiaries and affiliates are subject to the laws and
regulations of both the federal government and the states and
counties in which they conduct business and supervision and
examination by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the
SEC, the New York Stock Exchange, or the
NYSE, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and other regulatory agencies, all of which
directly or indirectly affect our operations and management and
our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
A financial holding company, and the non-bank companies under
its control, are permitted to engage in activities considered
financial in nature as defined by the
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and Federal Reserve Board interpretations
(including, without limitation, insurance and securities
activities), and therefore may engage in a broader range of
activities than permitted for bank holding companies and their
subsidiaries. A financial holding company may engage directly or
indirectly in activities considered financial in nature, either
de novo or by acquisition, provided the financial holding
company gives the Federal Reserve Board
after-the-fact notice
of the new activities. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also permits
national banks, such as our banking subsidiaries, to engage in
activities considered financial in nature through a financial
subsidiary, subject to certain conditions and limitations and
with the approval of the Comptroller.
Interstate Banking
Bank holding companies (including bank holding companies that
also are financial holding companies) also are required to
obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board before
acquiring more than 5% of any class of voting stock of any bank
which is not already majority-owned by the bank holding company.
Pursuant to the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching
Efficiency Act of 1994, a bank holding company may acquire banks
in states other than its home state without regard to the
permissibility of such acquisitions under state law, but subject
to any state requirement that the bank has been organized and
operating for a minimum period of time, not to exceed five
years, and the requirement that the bank holding company, after
the proposed acquisition, controls no more than 10% of the total
amount of deposits of
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insured depository institutions in the United States and no more
than 30% or such lesser or greater amount set by state law of
such deposits in that state.
Subject to certain restrictions, the Riegle-Neal Interstate
Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 also authorizes
banks to merge across state lines to create interstate branches.
This act also permits a bank to open new branches in a state in
which it does not already have banking operations if such state
enacts a law permitting de novo branching.
Changes in Regulations
Proposals to change the laws and regulations governing the
banking industry are frequently introduced in Congress, in the
state legislatures, and before the various bank regulatory
agencies. The likelihood and timing of any proposals or
legislation and the impact they might have on us and our
subsidiaries cannot be determined at this time.
Capital and Operational Requirements
The Federal Reserve Board, the Comptroller, and the FDIC have
issued regulatory capital guidelines for United States banking
organizations. Failure to meet the capital requirements can
initiate certain mandatory and discretionary actions by
regulators that could have a material effect on our financial
statements. At December 31, 2003, we, as well as Bank of
America, N.A., were classified as well-capitalized under this
regulatory framework.
The regulatory capital guidelines measure capital in relation to
the credit and market risks of both on-and off-balance sheet
items using various risk weights. Under the regulatory capital
guidelines, total capital consists of three tiers of capital.
Tier 1 capital includes common shareholders equity,
trust preferred securities, minority interests, and qualifying
preferred stock, less goodwill and other adjustments.
Tier 2 capital consists of preferred stock not qualifying
as Tier 1 capital, mandatory convertible debt, limited
amounts of subordinated debt, other qualifying term debt, the
allowance for credit losses up to 1.25% of risk-weighted assets
and other adjustments. Tier 3 capital includes subordinated
debt that is unsecured, fully paid, has an original maturity of
at least two years, is not redeemable before maturity without
prior approval by the Federal Reserve Board and includes a
lock-in clause precluding payment of either interest or
principal if the payment would cause the issuing banks
risk-based capital ratio to fall or remain below the required
minimum. Tier 3 capital can only be used to satisfy our
market risk capital requirement and may not be used to support
our credit risk requirement. At December 31, 2003, we had
no subordinated debt that qualified as Tier 3 capital.
The capital treatment of trust preferred securities currently is
under review by the Federal Reserve Board due to the issuing
trust companies being deconsolidated under Financial Accounting
Standards Board Interpretation 46, Consolidation of
Variable Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB
No. 51 (FIN 46). Depending on the capital
treatment resolution, trust preferred securities may no longer
qualify for Tier 1 capital treatment, but instead would
qualify for Tier 2 capital. On July 2, 2003, the
Federal Reserve Board issued a Supervision and
Regulation Letter requiring that bank holding companies
continue to follow the current instructions for reporting trust
preferred securities in their regulatory reports. Accordingly,
we will continue to report trust preferred securities in
Tier 1 capital until further notice from the Federal
Reserve Board. On September 2, 2003, the Federal Reserve
Board and other regulatory agencies issued the Interim Final
Capital Rule for Consolidated Asset-Backed Commercial Paper
Program Assets. This interim rule allows companies to exclude
from risk-weighted assets the newly consolidated assets of
asset-backed commercial paper programs required by FIN 46,
when calculating Tier 1 and total risk-based capital ratios
through March 31, 2004.
To meet minimum, adequately capitalized regulatory requirements,
an institution must maintain a Tier 1 capital ratio of 4%
and a total capital ratio of 8%. A well-capitalized institution
must generally maintain capital ratios 100 to 200 basis
points higher than the minimum guidelines. The risk-based
capital rules have been further supplemented by a leverage
ratio, defined as Tier 1 capital divided by quarterly
average total
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assets, after certain adjustments. The leverage ratio guidelines
establish a minimum of 100 to 200 basis points above 3%.
Banking organizations must maintain a leverage capital ratio of
at least 5% to be classified as well-capitalized. As of
December 31, 2003, we were classified as
well-capitalized for regulatory purposes, the
highest classification. As of December 31, 2003, our
Tier 1 capital, total risk-based capital, and leverage
ratio under these guidelines were 7.85%, 11.87% and 5.73%,
respectively.
Net unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale debt
securities, net unrealized gains on marketable equity securities
and net unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives included in
shareholders equity at December 31, 2003 are excluded
from the calculations of Tier 1 capital, total capital, and
leverage ratios.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of
1991, among other things, identifies five capital categories for
insured depository institutions (well capitalized, adequately
capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized,
and critically undercapitalized) and requires the respective
federal regulatory agencies to implement systems for
prompt corrective action for insured depository
institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements
within such categories. This act imposes progressively more
restrictive constraints on operations, management, and capital
distributions, depending on the category in which an institution
is classified. Failure to meet the capital guidelines could also
subject a banking institution to capital raising requirements.
An undercapitalized bank must develop a capital
restoration plan and its parent holding company must guarantee
that banks compliance with the plan. The liability of the
parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to
the lesser of (1) 5% of the banks total assets at the
time it became undercapitalized or (2) the
amount needed to comply with the plan. Furthermore, in the event
of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee
would take priority over the parents general unsecured
creditors. In addition, this act requires the various regulatory
agencies to prescribe certain non-capital standards for safety
and soundness relating generally to operations and management,
asset quality, and executive compensation and permits regulatory
action against a financial institution that does not meet such
standards.
The various regulatory agencies have adopted substantially
similar regulations that define the five capital categories
identified by this act, using the total risk-based capital,
Tier 1 risk-based capital and leverage capital ratios as
the relevant capital measures. Such regulations establish
various degrees of corrective action to be taken when an
institution is considered undercapitalized. Under the
regulations, a well capitalized institution must
have (1) a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of at least
6%, (2) a total risk-based capital ratio of at least 10%,
(3) a leverage ratio of at least 5%, and (4) not be
subject to a capital directive order. Under these guidelines,
each of our banking subsidiaries is considered well capitalized
as of December 31, 2003. In order for us to continue to
qualify as a financial holding company, each of our banking
subsidiaries must remain well capitalized.
Regulators also must take into consideration
(1) concentrations of credit risk; (2) interest rate
risk (when the interest rate sensitivity of an
institutions assets does not match the sensitivity of its
liabilities or its off-balance-sheet position); and
(3) risks from non-traditional activities, as well as an
institutions ability to manage those risks, when
determining the adequacy of an institutions capital. This
evaluation will be made as a part of the institutions
regular safety and soundness examination. In addition, we and
any of our banking subsidiaries with significant trading
activity must incorporate a measure for market risk in our
regulatory capital calculations.
Distributions
Our funds for payment of our indebtedness, including the debt
securities, are derived from a variety of sources, including
cash and temporary investments. However, the primary source of
these funds is dividends received from our banking subsidiaries.
Each of our banking subsidiaries is subject to various
regulatory policies and requirements relating to the payment of
dividends, including requirements to maintain capital above
regulatory minimums. The appropriate federal regulatory
authority is authorized to determine when, and under what
circumstances, to prohibit a bank or bank holding company from
paying dividends under its safety and soundness examination.
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In addition, the ability of our banking subsidiaries to pay
dividends may be affected by the various minimum capital
requirements and the capital and non-capital standards
established under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Improvement Act of 1991, as described above. Our right, and the
right of our stockholders and creditors, to participate in any
distribution of the assets or earnings of our subsidiaries is
further subject to the prior claims of creditors of the
respective subsidiaries.
Source of Strength
According to Federal Reserve Board policy, bank holding
companies are expected to act as a source of financial strength
to each subsidiary bank and to commit resources to support each
such subsidiary. This support may be required at times when a
bank holding company may not be able to provide such support.
Similarly, under the cross-guarantee provisions of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act, in the event of a loss suffered or
anticipated by the FDIC either as a result of
default of a banking subsidiary or related to FDIC assistance
provided to a subsidiary in danger of default the
other banking subsidiaries may be assessed for the FDICs
loss, subject to certain exceptions.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We will issue any senior debt securities under an Indenture
dated as of January 1, 1995 (as supplemented, the
Senior Indenture) between us and The Bank of New
York, as successor trustee to U.S. Bank Trust National
Association, as successor trustee to BankAmerica National Trust
Company. We will issue any subordinated debt securities under an
Indenture dated as of January 1, 1995 (as supplemented, the
Subordinated Indenture) between us and The Bank of
New York, as trustee. We refer to the Senior Indenture and the
Subordinated Indenture collectively as the
Indentures. The trustee under each of the Indentures
has two principal functions:
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First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we
default. However, there are limitations on the extent to which
the trustee may act on your behalf. |
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Second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us,
including sending you notices. |
The following summaries of the Indentures are not complete and
are qualified in their entirety by the specific provisions of
the applicable Indentures, which are exhibits to the
registration statement and are incorporated in this prospectus
by reference. Whenever defined terms are used, but not defined
in this prospectus, the terms have the meanings given to them in
the Indentures.
General
The total amount of securities that we may offer and sell using
this prospectus is limited to the aggregate initial offering
price of the securities registered under the registration
statement. Neither Indenture limits the amount of debt
securities that we may issue.
Any debt securities we issue will be our direct unsecured
obligations and will not be obligations of our subsidiaries.
Each series of our senior debt securities will rank equally with
all of our other unsecured senior indebtedness that is
outstanding from time to time. Each series of our subordinated
debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of
payment to all of our senior indebtedness that is outstanding
from time to time.
We will issue our debt securities in fully registered form
without coupons. Our debt securities may be denominated in
U.S. dollars or in another currency or currency unit. Any
debt securities that are denominated in U.S. dollars will
be issued in denominations of $1,000 or a multiple of $1,000
unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement. If any
of the debt securities are denominated in a foreign currency,
currency unit, or composite currency, or if principal, any
premium, interest, or any other amounts payable on any of the
debt securities is payable in any foreign currency, currency
unit, or composite currency, the authorized denominations, as
well as any investment considerations, risk factors,
restrictions, tax
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consequences, specific terms, and other information relating to
that issue of debt securities and the particular foreign
currency, currency unit, or composite currency will be stated in
the prospectus supplement.
We may issue our debt securities in one or more series with the
same or different maturities. We may issue our debt securities
at a price lower than their stated principal amount or lower
than their minimum guaranteed repayment amount at maturity
(each, an Original Issue Discount Security).
Original Issue Discount Securities may bear no interest or may
bear interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below
market rates. Some of our debt securities may be deemed to be
issued with original issue discount for United States federal
income tax purposes. If we issue debt securities with original
issue discount, we will discuss the United States federal income
tax implications in the prospectus supplement.
Each prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any debt
securities we issue, which may include the following:
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the title and type of the debt securities; |
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the total principal amount of the debt securities; |
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the minimum denominations; |
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the percentage of the stated principal amount at which the debt
securities will be sold and, if applicable, the method of
determining the price; |
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the person to whom interest is payable, if other than the owner
of the debt securities; |
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the maturity date or dates; |
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the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, and
the method used to calculate that interest; |
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any index used to determine the amounts of any payments on the
debt securities and the manner in which those amounts will be
determined; |
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the interest payment dates, the regular record dates for the
interest payment dates, and the date interest will begin to
accrue; |
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the place or places where payments on the debt securities may be
made and the place or places where the debt securities may be
presented for registration of transfer or exchange; |
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any date or dates after which the debt securities may be
redeemed, repurchased, or repaid in whole or in part at our
option or the option of the holder and the periods, prices,
terms, and conditions of that redemption, repurchase, or
repayment; |
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if other than the full principal amount, the portion of the
principal amount of the debt securities that will be payable if
their maturity is accelerated; |
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the currency of principal, any premium, interest, and any other
amounts payable on the debt securities, if other than
U.S. dollars; |
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if the debt securities will be issued in other than book-entry
form; |
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the identification of or method of selecting any interest rate
calculation agents, exchange rate agents, or any other agents
for the debt securities; |
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any provisions for the discharge of our obligations relating to
the debt securities by the deposit of funds or
U.S. government obligations; |
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any provision relating to the extension or renewal of the
maturity date of the debt securities; |
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whether the debt securities will be listed on any securities
exchange; and |
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any other terms of the debt securities that are permitted under
the applicable Indenture. |
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As a holding company, we own most of our assets and conduct
substantially all of our operations through subsidiaries. Our
ability to make payments of principal, any premium, interest,
and any other amounts on the debt securities may be affected by
the ability of our banking and nonbanking subsidiaries to pay
dividends. Their ability, as well as our ability, to pay
dividends in the future is and could be influenced by bank
regulatory requirements and capital guidelines. See
Regulatory Matters.
In addition, claims of holders of debt securities generally will
have a junior position to claims of creditors of our
subsidiaries including, in the case of our banking subsidiaries,
their depositors.
Neither Indenture contains provisions protecting holders against
a decline in our credit quality resulting from takeovers,
recapitalizations, the incurrence of additional indebtedness, or
restructuring. If our credit quality declines as a result of an
event of this type, or otherwise, the ratings of any debt
securities then outstanding may be withdrawn or downgraded.
No Sinking Fund
Unless stated otherwise in the prospectus supplement, our debt
securities will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking
fund. This means that we will not deposit money on a regular
basis into any separate custodial account to repay the debt
securities.
Redemption
The prospectus supplement will indicate whether we may redeem
the debt securities prior to their maturity date. If we may
redeem the debt securities prior to maturity, the prospectus
supplement will indicate the redemption price and the method for
redemption.
Repayment
The prospectus supplement will indicate whether the debt
securities can be repaid at the holders option prior to
their maturity date. If the debt securities may be repaid prior
to maturity, the prospectus supplement will indicate our cost to
repay the debt securities and the procedure for repayment.
Repurchase
We, or our affiliates, may repurchase debt securities from
investors who are willing to sell them from time to time, either
in the open market at prevailing prices or in private
transactions at negotiated prices. We, or our affiliates, have
the discretion to hold or resell any repurchased debt
securities. We also have the discretion to cancel any
repurchased debt securities.
Reopenings
We have the ability to reopen a series of our debt
securities. This means that we can increase the principal amount
of a series of our debt securities by selling additional debt
securities with the same terms. We may do so without notice to
the existing holders of securities of that series. However, any
new securities of this kind may begin to bear interest at a
different date.
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Conversion
We may issue debt securities that are convertible, at either our
option or the holders option, into our preferred stock,
depositary shares, common stock, or other debt securities. The
prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any conversion
features, including:
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the periods during which conversion may be elected; |
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the conversion price payable and the number of shares or amount
of preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, or other
debt securities that may be issued upon conversion, and any
adjustment provisions; and |
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the procedures for electing conversion. |
Exchange, Registration, and Transfer
Subject to the terms of the applicable Indenture, debt
securities of any series, other than debt securities issued in
book-entry form, may be exchanged at the option of the holder
for other debt securities of the same series and of an equal
aggregate principal amount and type in any authorized
denominations.
Debt securities may be presented for registration of transfer at
the office of the security registrar or at the office of any
transfer agent that we designate and maintain. The prospectus
supplement will include the name of the security registrar and
the transfer agent. The security registrar or the transfer agent
will make the transfer or registration only if it is satisfied
with the documents of title and identity of the person making
the request. There will not be a service charge for any exchange
or registration of transfer of debt securities, but we may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with the
exchange. We may change the security registrar or the transfer
agent or approve a change in the location through which any
security registrar or transfer agent acts at any time, except
that we will be required to maintain a security registrar and
transfer agent in each place of payment for each series of debt
securities. At any time, we may designate additional transfer
agents for any series of debt securities.
We will not be required to (1) issue, exchange, or register
the transfer of any debt security of any series to be redeemed
for a period of 15 days before those debt securities were
selected for redemption, or (2) exchange or register the
transfer of any debt security that was selected, called, or is
being called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of
any debt security being redeemed in part.
For a discussion of restrictions on the exchange, registration,
and transfer of global securities, see Registration and
Settlement.
Payment and Paying Agents
The principal, any premium, interest, and any other amounts
payable on our debt securities will be paid at the offices of
the paying agents we designate from time to time. In addition,
at our option, payment of any interest may be made by check
mailed to the address of the holder as recorded in the security
register. On any interest payment date, interest on a debt
security generally will be paid to the person in whose name the
debt security is registered at the close of business on the
regular record date for that payment. For a discussion of
payment of principal, any premium, interest, or other payment on
global securities, see Registration and Settlement.
We initially have designated the principal corporate trust
offices of the trustees in New York City as the places where the
debt securities may be presented for payment. We may change
paying agents or the designated payment office at any time. Any
other paying agents for our debt securities of each series will
be named in the prospectus supplement.
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Subordination
Our subordinated debt securities are subordinated in right of
payment to all of our senior indebtedness. The Subordinated
Indenture defines senior indebtedness as any
indebtedness for money borrowed, including all of our
indebtedness for borrowed and purchased money, all of our
obligations arising from off-balance sheet guarantees and direct
credit substitutes, and our obligations associated with
derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate
contracts and commodity contracts, that were outstanding on the
date we executed the Subordinated Indenture, or were created,
incurred, or assumed after that date and all deferrals,
renewals, extensions, and refundings of that indebtedness or
obligations, unless the instrument creating or evidencing the
indebtedness provides that the indebtedness is subordinate in
right of payment to any of our other indebtedness. Each
prospectus supplement for a series of subordinated debt
securities will indicate the aggregate amount of our senior
indebtedness outstanding at that time and any limitation on the
issuance of additional senior indebtedness.
If there is a default or event of default on any senior
indebtedness that is not remedied and we and the trustee of the
Subordinated Indenture receive notice of this default from the
holders of at least 10% in principal amount of any kind or
category of any senior indebtedness or if the trustee of the
Subordinated Indenture receives this notice from us, we will not
be able to make any principal, premium, interest, or other
payments on the subordinated debt securities or repurchase our
subordinated debt securities.
If we repay any subordinated debt security before the required
date or in connection with a distribution of our assets to
creditors pursuant to a dissolution, winding up, liquidation, or
reorganization, any principal, premium, interest, or other
payment will be paid to holders of senior indebtedness before
any holders of subordinated indebtedness are paid. In addition,
if any amounts previously were paid to the holders of
subordinated debt or the trustee of the Subordinated Indenture,
the holders of senior debt shall have first rights to the
amounts previously paid.
Upon payment in full of all our senior indebtedness, the holders
of our subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the
rights of the holders of our senior indebtedness to receive
payments or distributions of our assets.
Sale or Issuance of Capital Stock of Banks
The Senior Indenture prohibits the issuance, sale, or other
disposition of capital stock, or securities convertible into or
options, warrants, or rights to acquire capital stock, of any
Principal Subsidiary Bank (as defined below) or of any
subsidiary which owns shares of capital stock, or securities
convertible into or options, warrants, or rights to acquire
capital stock, of any Principal Subsidiary Bank, with the
following exceptions:
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sales of directors qualifying shares; |
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sales or other dispositions for fair market value, if, after
giving effect to the disposition and to conversion of any shares
or securities convertible into capital stock of a Principal
Subsidiary Bank, we would own at least 80% of each class of the
capital stock of that Principal Subsidiary Bank; |
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sales or other dispositions made in compliance with an order of
a court or regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction; |
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any sale by a Principal Subsidiary Bank of additional shares of
its capital stock, securities convertible into shares of its
capital stock, or options, warrants, or rights to subscribe for
or purchase shares of its capital stock, to its stockholders at
any price, so long as before that sale we owned, directly or
indirectly, securities of the same class and immediately after
the sale, we owned, directly or indirectly, at least as great a
percentage of each class of securities of the Principal
Subsidiary Bank as we owned before the sale of additional
securities; and |
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any issuance of shares of capital stock, or securities
convertible into or options, warrants, or rights to subscribe
for or purchase shares of capital stock, of a Principal
Subsidiary Bank or any subsidiary |
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which owns shares of capital stock, or securities convertible
into or options, warrants, or rights to acquire capital stock,
of any Principal Subsidiary Bank, to us or our wholly owned
subsidiary. |
A Principal Subsidiary Bank is defined in the Senior
Indenture as any bank with total assets equal to more than 10%
of our total consolidated assets. As of the date of this
prospectus, Bank of America, N.A. and Fleet National Bank are
our only Principal Subsidiary Banks.
Waiver of Covenants
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt
securities of all affected series then outstanding under the
Indenture may waive compliance with some of the covenants or
conditions of that Indenture.
Modification of the Indentures
We and the applicable trustee may modify the Indenture with the
consent of the holders of at least
662/3%
of the aggregate principal amount of all series of debt
securities under that Indenture affected by the modification.
However, no modification may extend the fixed maturity of,
reduce the principal amount or redemption premium of, or reduce
the rate of or extend the time of payment of interest on, any
debt security without the consent of each holder affected by the
modification. No modification may reduce the percentage of debt
securities which is required to consent to modification without
the consent of all holders of the debt securities outstanding.
In addition, we and the trustee may execute supplemental
indentures in some circumstances without the consent of any
holders of outstanding debt securities.
For purposes of determining the aggregate principal amount of
the debt securities outstanding at any time in connection with
any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
or waiver under the applicable Indenture, (1) the principal
amount of an Original Issue Discount Security is that amount
that would be due and payable at that time upon an event of
default, and (2) the principal amount of a debt security
denominated in a foreign currency or currency unit is the
U.S. dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of
the debt security.
Meetings and Action by Securityholders
The trustee may call a meeting in its discretion, or upon
request by us or the holders of at least 10% in principal amount
of a series of outstanding debt securities, by giving notice. If
a meeting of holders is duly held, any resolution raised or
decision taken in accordance with the Indenture will be binding
on all holders of debt securities of that series.
Defaults and Rights of Acceleration
The Senior Indenture defines an event of default for a series of
senior debt securities as any one of the following events:
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our failure to pay principal or any premium when due on any
securities of that series; |
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our failure to pay interest on any securities of that series,
within 30 calendar days after the interest becomes due; |
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our breach of any of our other covenants contained in the senior
debt securities of that series or in the Senior Indenture, that
is not cured within 90 calendar days after written notice to us
by the trustee of the Senior Indenture, or to us and the trustee
of the Senior Indenture by the holders of at least 25% in
principal amount of all senior debt securities then outstanding
under the Senior Indenture and affected by the breach; and |
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specified events involving our bankruptcy, insolvency, or
liquidation. |
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The Subordinated Indenture defines an event of default only as
our bankruptcy under United States federal bankruptcy laws.
If an event of default occurs and is continuing, either the
trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the
principal amount, or, if the debt securities are Original Issue
Discount Securities, a specified portion of the principal
amount, of all debt securities of that series to be due and
payable immediately. The holders of a majority in principal
amount of the debt securities then outstanding or of the series
affected, in some circumstances, may annul the declaration of
acceleration and waive past defaults.
Payment of principal of the subordinated debt securities may not
be accelerated in the case of a default in the payment of
principal, any premium, interest, or any other amounts or the
performance of any of our other covenants.
Collection of Indebtedness
If we fail to pay principal of, or any premium on, any debt
securities, or if we are over 30 calendar days late on an
interest payment on the debt securities, the appropriate trustee
can demand that we pay to it, for the benefit of the holders of
those debt securities, the amount which is due and payable on
those debt securities, including any interest incurred because
of our failure to make that payment. If we fail to pay the
required amount on demand, the trustee may take appropriate
action, including instituting judicial proceedings against us.
In addition, a holder also may file suit to enforce our
obligation to make payment of principal, any premium, interest,
or other amounts due on any debt security regardless of the
actions taken by the trustee.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt
securities then outstanding under an Indenture may direct the
time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any
remedy available to the trustee under that Indenture, but the
trustee will be entitled to receive from the holders a
reasonable indemnity against expenses and liabilities.
We are required periodically to file with the trustees a
certificate stating that we are not in default under any of the
terms of the Indentures.
Notices
We will provide the holders with any required notices by
first-class mail to the addresses of the holders as they appear
in the security register.
Concerning the Trustees
We and our subsidiaries have from time to time maintained
deposit accounts and conducted other banking transactions with
The Bank of New York and its affiliated entities in the ordinary
course of business. The Bank of New York also serves as trustee
for several series of our outstanding indebtedness under other
indentures.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
General
We may issue warrants that are either debt warrants or universal
warrants. We may offer warrants separately or together with any
of our other securities, including other warrants and units,
consisting of two or more securities in any combination, as
described under the heading Description of Units.
We may issue warrants in any amounts or in as many distinct
series as we determine. We will issue each series of warrants
under a warrant agreement with a warrant agent designated in the
prospectus supplement. We will describe in the prospectus
supplement the specific terms of the warrants. When we refer to
a series of warrants, we mean all warrants issued as part of the
same series under the applicable warrant agreement.
Description of Debt Warrants
Debt warrants are rights for the purchase of debt securities.
Debt warrants may be issued independently or together with any
of our other securities and may be attached to, or separate
from, our other securities. Any debt warrant agreement will be
filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the
registration statement.
If debt warrants are offered, the prospectus supplement will
describe the terms of the debt warrants and the warrant
agreement relating to the debt warrants, including the following:
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the offering price; |
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the designation, aggregate stated principal amount, and terms of
the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the debt
warrants; |
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the currency, currency unit, or composite currency in which the
price for the debt warrants is payable; |
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if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities
with which the debt warrants are issued, and the number of debt
warrants issued with each security; |
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if applicable, the date on and after which the debt warrants and
the related debt securities will be separately transferable; |
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the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon
exercise of a debt warrant and the price at which, and the
currency, currency units, or composite currency based on or
relating to currencies in which, the principal amount of debt
securities may be purchased upon exercise; |
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the dates the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence
and expire and, if the debt warrants are not continuously
exercisable, any dates on which the debt warrants are not
exercisable; |
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any circumstances that will cause the debt warrants to be deemed
to be automatically exercised; |
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if applicable, a discussion of some of the United States federal
income tax consequences; |
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whether the debt warrants or related securities will be listed
on any securities exchange; |
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whether the debt warrants will be issued in global or
certificated form; |
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the name of the warrant agent; |
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a description of the terms of any warrant agreement to be
entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant
agent, governing the debt warrants; and |
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any other terms of the debt warrants which are permitted under
the debt warrant agreement. |
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Description of Universal Warrants
Universal warrants are rights for the purchase or sale of, or
whose cash value is determined by reference to the performance,
level, or value of, one or more of the following:
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securities of one or more issuers, including our common or
preferred stock or other securities described in this prospectus
or the debt or equity securities of third parties; |
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one or more currencies or currency units; |
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one or more commodities; |
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any other financial, economic, or other measure or instrument,
including the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event or
circumstance; and |
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one or more indices or baskets of the items described above. |
We refer to each type of property described above as
warrant property.
We may satisfy our obligations, if any, and the holder of a
universal warrant may satisfy its obligations, if any, with
respect to any universal warrants by delivering:
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the warrant property; |
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the cash value of the warrant property; or |
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the cash value of the warrants determined by reference to the
performance, level, or value of the warrant property. |
The prospectus supplement will describe what we may deliver to
satisfy our obligations, if any, and what the holder of a
universal warrant may deliver to satisfy its obligations, if
any, with respect to any universal warrants.
Universal warrants may be issued independently or together with
other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be
attached to or separate from the other securities. Any universal
warrant agreement will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated
by reference in the registration statement.
If universal warrants are offered, the prospectus supplement
will describe the terms of the universal warrants and the
warrant agreement, including the following:
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the offering price; |
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the title and aggregate number of the universal warrants; |
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the nature and amount of the warrant property that the universal
warrants represent the right to buy or sell; |
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whether the universal warrants are put warrants or call
warrants, including in either case whether the warrants may be
settled by means of net cash settlement or cashless exercise; |
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the price at which the warrant property may be purchased or
sold, the currency, and the procedures and conditions relating
to exercise; |
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whether the exercise price of the universal warrant may be paid
in cash or by exchange of the warrant property or both, the
method of exercising the universal warrants, and whether
settlement will occur on a net basis or a gross basis; |
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the dates on which the right to exercise the universal warrants
will commence and expire; |
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if applicable, a discussion of some of the United States federal
income tax consequences; |
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whether the universal warrants or underlying securities will be
listed on any securities exchange; |
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whether the universal warrants will be issued in global or
certificated form; |
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the name of the warrant agent; |
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a description of the terms of any warrant agreement to be
entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant
agent, governing the universal warrants; and |
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any other terms of the universal warrants which are permitted
under the warrant agreement. |
Modification
We and the warrant agent may amend the terms of any warrant
agreement and the warrants without the consent of the holders of
the warrants to cure any ambiguity, to correct any inconsistent
provision, or in any other manner we deem necessary or desirable
and which will not affect adversely the interests of the
holders. In addition, we may amend the warrant agreement and the
terms of the warrants with the consent of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding unexercised warrants affected.
However, any modification to the warrants cannot change the
exercise price, reduce the amounts receivable upon exercise,
cancellation, or expiration, shorten the time period during
which the warrants may be exercised, or otherwise materially and
adversely affect the rights of the holders of the warrants or
reduce the percentage of outstanding warrants required to modify
or amend the warrant agreement or the terms of the warrants,
without the consent of the affected holders.
Enforceability of Rights of Warrantholders; Governing Law
The warrant agent will act solely as our agent and will not
assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with
the holders of the warrants. Any record holder or beneficial
owner of a warrant, without anyone elses consent, may
enforce by appropriate legal action, on his or her own behalf,
his or her right to exercise the warrant in accordance with its
terms. A holder of a warrant will not be entitled to any of the
rights of a holder of the debt securities or other securities or
warrant property purchasable upon the exercise of the warrant,
including any right to receive payments on those securities or
warrant property or to enforce any covenants or rights in the
relevant indenture or any other agreement, before exercising the
warrant.
No warrant agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no
warrant agent will be required to qualify as a trustee under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Therefore, holders of warrants
issued under a warrant agreement will not have the protection of
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to their warrants.
Unsecured Obligations
Any warrants we issue will be our unsecured contractual
obligations. Claims of holders of our warrants generally will
have a junior position to claims of creditors of our
subsidiaries including, in the case of our banking subsidiaries,
their depositors.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
General
We may issue units consisting of one or more securities. Each
unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the
holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder
of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of
each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is
issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may
not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any
time before a specified date.
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If units are offered, the prospectus supplement will describe
the terms of the units, including the following:
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the designation and terms of the units and of the securities
comprising the units, including whether and under what
circumstances the securities comprising the units may or may not
be held or transferred separately; |
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the name of the unit agent; |
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a description of the terms of any unit agreement to be entered
into between us and a bank or trust company, as unit agent,
governing the units; |
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whether the units will be listed on any securities
exchange; and |
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a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement,
transfer, or exchange of the units. |
Modification
We and the unit agent may amend the terms of any unit agreement
and the units without the consent of the holders to cure any
ambiguity, to correct any inconsistent provision, or in any
other manner we deem necessary or desirable and which will not
affect adversely the interests of the holders. In addition, we
may amend the unit agreement and the terms of the units with the
consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
unexpired units affected. However, any modification to the units
that materially and adversely affects the rights of the holders
of the units, or reduces the percentage of outstanding units
required to modify or amend the unit agreement or the terms of
the units, requires the consent of the affected holders.
Enforceability of Rights of Unitholders; Governing Law
The unit agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume
any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with the
holders of the units. Except as described below, any record
holder of a unit, without anyone elses consent, may
enforce his or her rights as holder under any security included
in the unit, in accordance with the terms of the included
security and the Indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement
under which that security is issued. Those terms are described
in other sections of this prospectus relating to debt securities
and warrants.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a unit agreement may limit or
otherwise affect the ability of a holder of units issued under
that agreement to enforce his or her rights, including any right
to bring legal action, with respect to those units or any
included securities, other than debt securities. Limitations of
this kind will be described in the prospectus supplement.
No unit agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no unit
agent will be required to qualify as a trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939. Therefore, holders of units issued under
a unit agreement will not have the protection of the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to their units.
Unsecured Obligations
The units are our unsecured contractual obligations. Claims of
holders of our units generally will have a junior position to
claims of creditors of our subsidiaries including, in the case
of our banking subsidiaries, their depositors.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
General
We have 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$.01 per share, authorized and may issue the preferred
stock in one or more series, each with the preferences,
designations, limitations, conversion rights, and other rights
as we may determine. We have designated:
(a) 3,000,000 shares of ESOP Convertible Preferred
Stock, Series C (the ESOP Preferred Stock), of
which 1,231,824 shares were issued and outstanding at
April 1, 2004;
(b) 35,045 shares of 7% Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Stock, Series B (the Series B
Preferred Stock), of which 7,739 shares were issued
and outstanding at April 1, 2004;
(c) 20,000,000 shares of $2.50 Cumulative Convertible
Preferred Stock Series BB (the Series BB
Preferred Stock), none of which were issued and
outstanding at April 1, 2004;
(d) 690,000 shares of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock
(the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock), 382,450 of
which were issued and outstanding as of April 1,
2004; and
(e) 805,000 shares of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock (the Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock), 700,000 of which were issued
and outstanding as of April 1, 2004.
The Preferred Stock
General. Any preferred stock sold under this
prospectus will have the general dividend, voting, and
liquidation preference rights stated below unless otherwise
stated in the prospectus supplement. Each prospectus supplement
for preferred stock will describe the specific terms of those
shares, including, where applicable:
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the title and stated value of the preferred stock; |
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the aggregate number of shares of preferred stock offered; |
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the offering price or prices of the preferred stock; |
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the dividend rate or rates or method of calculation, the
dividend period, and the dates dividends will be payable; |
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whether dividends are cumulative or noncumulative, and, if
cumulative, the date the dividends will begin to cumulate; |
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the dividend and liquidation preference rights of the preferred
stock relative to any existing or future series of our preferred
stock; |
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the dates the preferred stock become subject to redemption at
our option, and any redemption terms; |
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any redemption or sinking fund provisions; |
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whether the preferred stock will be issued in other than
book-entry form; |
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whether the preferred stock will be listed on any securities
exchange; |
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any rights on the part of the stockholder or us to convert the
preferred stock into shares of our common stock or any other
security; and |
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any additional voting, liquidation, preemptive, and other
rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, and restrictions. |
Dividends. The holders of our preferred stock will
be entitled to receive when, as, and if declared by our board of
directors, cash dividends at those rates as will be fixed by our
board of directors, subject to the terms of our Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation. All dividends will be
paid out of funds that
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are legally available for this purpose. Whenever dividends on
any non-voting preferred stock are in arrears for six quarterly
dividend periods (whether or not consecutive), holders of the
non-voting preferred stock will have the right to elect two
additional directors to serve on our board of directors, and
these two additional directors will continue to serve until the
dividend arrearage is eliminated.
Voting. The holders of our preferred stock will have
no voting rights except:
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each share of Series B Preferred Stock is entitled to one
vote per share; |
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each share of ESOP Preferred Stock is entitled to two votes per
share; |
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as required by applicable law; or |
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as specifically approved by us for that particular series. |
Liquidation Preference. In the event of our
voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding
up, the holders of any series of our preferred stock will be
entitled to receive, after distributions to holders of any
series or class of our capital stock ranking superior, an amount
equal to the stated or liquidation value of the shares of the
series plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends. If
the assets and funds to be distributed among the holders of our
preferred stock will be insufficient to permit full payment to
the holders, then the holders of our preferred stock will share
ratably in any distribution of our assets in proportion to the
amounts that they otherwise would receive on their shares of our
preferred stock if the shares were paid in full.
Authorized Classes of Preferred Stock
The following summary of our ESOP Preferred Stock,
Series B Preferred Stock, Series BB Preferred Stock,
6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock, and Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the description of these securities contained in
our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
ESOP Preferred Stock
All shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are held by the trustee under
the Bank of America 401(k) Plan. Shares of ESOP Preferred Stock
are convertible into our common stock at a conversion rate of
1.68 shares of common stock per share of ESOP Preferred
Stock, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments.
Preferential Rights. The ESOP Preferred Stock ranks
senior to our common stock and ranks junior to the Series B
Preferred Stock, Series BB Preferred Stock, 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock, and Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred
Stock as to dividends and distributions on liquidation. ESOP
Preferred Stock does not have preemptive or preferential rights
to purchase or subscribe to shares of our capital stock, and is
not subject to any sinking fund obligations or other obligations
to repurchase or retire the series, except as discussed below.
Dividends. ESOP Preferred Stock is entitled to an
annual dividend, subject to adjustments, of $3.30 per
share, payable semi-annually. Unpaid dividends accumulate on the
date they first became payable, without interest. While any
shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, we may not
declare, pay, or set apart for payment any dividend on any other
series of our stock ranking equally with the ESOP Preferred
Stock as to dividends unless we have declared and paid, or set
apart for payment, like dividends on ESOP Preferred Stock for
all dividend payment periods ending on or before the dividend
payment date for the parity of our stock, ratably in proportion
to their respective amounts of accumulated and unpaid dividends.
We generally may not declare, pay, or set apart for payment any
dividends, except for, among other things, dividends payable
solely in shares of our stock ranking junior to ESOP Preferred
Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, or make any other
distribution on, or make payment on account of the purchase,
redemption, or other retirement of, any other class or series of
our capital stock ranking junior to ESOP Preferred Stock as to
dividends or upon liquidation, until full cumulative dividends
on ESOP Preferred Stock have been declared and paid or set apart
for payment when due.
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Voting Rights. Holders of ESOP Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the
holders of our common stock and vote together with the holders
of our common stock as one class. Except as otherwise required
by applicable law, holders of ESOP Preferred Stock have no
special voting rights. To the extent that holders of the shares
are entitled to vote, each share is entitled to the number of
votes equal to the number of shares of our common stock into
which the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock could be converted on
the record date for determining our stockholders entitled to
vote, rounded to the nearest whole vote. Under the current
conversion rate, each share of ESOP Preferred Stock is entitled
to two votes.
Distributions. In the event of our voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding-up, holders of
ESOP Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, out of our
assets available for distribution to our stockholders,
$42.50 per share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends of
the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock to the date fixed for
distribution. These distributions will be subject to the rights
of the holders of any preferred stock ranking senior to or
equally with ESOP Preferred Stock as to distributions upon
dissolution, liquidation, or winding-up but before any amount
will be paid or distributed among the holders of our common
stock or any other shares of our stock ranking junior to ESOP
Preferred Stock. If, upon our voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, liquidation, or winding-up, the amounts payable on
ESOP Preferred Stock and any other stock ranking equally with
ESOP Preferred Stock as to any distribution are not paid in
full, holders of ESOP Preferred Stock and the other capital
stock will share ratably in any distribution of assets in
proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which
they are entitled. After payment of the full amount of the
liquidating distribution to which it is entitled, holders of
ESOP Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any further
distribution of our assets. Any merger, consolidation, or
purchase or sale of assets by us will not be deemed to be a
dissolution, liquidation, or winding-up of our affairs.
Redemption. ESOP Preferred Stock is redeemable, in
whole or in part, at our option at any time. The redemption
price for the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock, which may be paid
in cash or shares of our common stock, is $42.50 per share.
The redemption price also must include all accrued and unpaid
dividends to the date of redemption. If ESOP Preferred Stock is
treated as Tier 1 capital for bank regulatory purposes, the
approval of the Federal Reserve Board may be required to redeem
ESOP Preferred Stock.
In addition, we are required to redeem shares of ESOP Preferred
Stock at the option of the holder to the extent necessary either
to provide for distributions required to be made under the
Employee Stock Ownership Plan or to make payments of principal,
interest, or premium due and payable on any indebtedness
incurred by the holder for the benefit of the Employee Stock
Ownership Plan.
Series B Preferred Stock
Preferential Rights. The Series B Preferred
Stock ranks senior to ESOP Preferred Stock and our common stock,
ranks equally with 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock and Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, and ranks junior to
Series BB Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon
liquidation. Series B Preferred Stock is not convertible
into or exchangeable for any shares of our common stock or any
other class of capital stock without the consent of holders of
Series B Preferred Stock, we may issue preferred stock with
superior or equal rights or preferences.
Dividends. Holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, when and as declared by
our board of directors, cumulative cash dividends at an annual
dividend rate per share of 7.00% of the stated value per-share
of Series B Preferred Stock. The stated value per share of
the Series B Preferred Stock is $100. Dividends are payable
quarterly. We cannot declare or pay cash dividends on any shares
of our common stock unless full cumulative dividends on
Series B Preferred Stock have been paid or declared and
funds sufficient for the payment have been set apart.
Voting Rights. Each share of Series B Preferred
Stock has equal voting rights, share for share, with each share
of our common stock.
Distributions. In the event of our voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, the holders
of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, after
payment of the full liquidation preference on
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shares of any class of our preferred stock ranking superior to
Series B Preferred Stock, but before any distribution on
shares of our common stock, liquidating dividends of
$100 per share plus accumulated dividends.
Redemption. Shares of Series B Preferred Stock
are redeemable, in whole or in part, at the option of the
holders, at the redemption price of $100 per share plus
accumulated dividends, provided that (1) full cumulative
dividends have been paid, or declared, and funds sufficient for
payment set apart, upon any class or series of our preferred
stock ranking superior to Series B Preferred Stock; and
(2) we are not then in default or in arrears on any sinking
fund or analogous fund or call for tenders obligation or
agreement for the purchase or any class or series of our
preferred stock ranking superior to Series B Preferred
Stock.
Series BB Preferred Stock
Dividends. Holders of Series BB Preferred Stock
are entitled to receive, when and as declared by our board of
directors, out of funds legally available for payment, an annual
dividend of $2.50 per share. Dividends are payable
quarterly on January 1, April 1, July 1, and
October 1 of each year. Dividends on Series BB
Preferred Stock are cumulative from the date of issue. Each
dividend is payable to holders of record as appearing on our
stock register on the record dates fixed by our board of
directors. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, is
payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on
Series BB Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.
Conversion Rights. Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth below, holders of shares of Series BB
Preferred Stock have the right, at their option, to convert such
shares into shares of our common stock at any time into fully
paid and nonassessable shares of our common stock (calculated as
to each conversion to the nearest 1/1,000 of a share) at the
rate of 6.17215 shares of our common stock for each share
of Series BB Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion
(the Conversion Rate). The Conversion Rate is
subject to adjustment from time to time to reflect our common
stock splits and similar alterations in our common stock.
Redemption. Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock
are redeemable at the our option, in whole or in part, at a
redemption price of $25 per share plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends up to and including the redemption
date. Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock are not subject
to a sinking fund.
Liquidation Rights. In the event of our voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of our
affairs, holders of Series BB Preferred Stock are entitled
to receive out of our assets available for distribution to
stockholders an amount equal to $25 per share plus an
amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends up to and including
the date of such distribution, and no more, before any
distribution is made to the holders of any of our classes of
stock ranking junior to the Series BB Preferred Stock as to
the distribution of assets.
Voting. Holders of Series BB Preferred Stock
have no voting rights except (1) as required by law; and
(2) in the event any quarterly dividend payable on the
Series BB Preferred Stock is in arrears, holders of
Series BB Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together
with the holders of our common stock at our next meeting of
stockholders and at each subsequent meeting of stockholders,
unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and
set apart for payment prior to the date of the meeting. In those
cases where holders of Series BB Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote, each holder is entitled to cast the number of
votes equal to the number of whole shares of our common stock
into which his or her Series BB Preferred Stock is then
convertible.
6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock
Preferential Rights. The 6.75% Perpetual Preferred
Stock ranks senior to our common stock and ESOP Preferred Stock,
equally with Series B Preferred Stock and Fixed/ Adjustable
Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, and junior to any
Series BB Preferred Stock as to dividends and distributions
on liquidation.
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Dividends. Holders of shares of 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock are entitled to receive dividends at the rate of
6.75% per annum, payable quarterly, before we may declare
or pay any dividend on our common stock or our junior preferred
stock. The dividends on the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock are
cumulative. If the Internal Revenue Code is amended to reduce
the percentage of the dividend payable on preferred stock that
may be deducted by corporate stockholders (the Dividends
Received Deduction), which currently is 70%, we will
increase the amount of dividends payable on the 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock for dividend payments made on or after the date
of enactment of such amendment.
Voting Rights. Holders of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred
Stock have no voting rights, except as required by law and to
the extent the consent of the holders of 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock at the time outstanding is necessary to
authorize, effect, or validate any amendment, alteration, or
repeal of any provision of our Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation or to create any series of stock with dividend
rights or liquidation preferences ranking greater than the 6.75%
Perpetual Preferred Stock. If any quarterly dividend payable on
the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock is in arrears for six full
quarterly dividends or more, the holders of 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock will be entitled to vote together as a group, to
the exclusion of the holders of any other series of preferred
stock or our common stock, at our next annual meeting of
stockholders for the election of directors and at each
subsequent meeting of stockholders for the election of
directors, until all dividends in arrears have been paid or
declared and set apart for payment, for two directors. Each
director elected by the holders of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred
Stock shall continue to serve as a director until the dividend
arrearage is eliminated.
Distributions. In the event of the voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, holders of
6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock are entitled to receive out of
assets available for distribution to stockholders an amount
equal to $250 per share plus an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends up to and including the date of distribution,
and no more, before any distribution will be made to the holders
of any class of our stock ranking junior to the 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock as to the distribution of assets. In determining
whether payment of a distribution must be made to the holders of
the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock, any merger, consolidation,
or purchase or sale of assets by us will not be deemed a
dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of such affairs. Shares
of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock are not subject to a sinking
fund.
Redemption. We may redeem the 6.75% Perpetual
Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at our option, on and
after April 15, 2006, at $250 per share, plus accrued
and unpaid dividends, if any. We also may redeem the 6.75%
Perpetual Preferred Stock prior to April 15, 2006, in
whole, at our option, if the Internal Revenue Code is amended to
reduce the Dividends Received Deduction.
So long as any shares of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock are
outstanding, we may not redeem any shares of our common stock or
any other class of our preferred stock ranking junior to or on a
parity with 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock unless we have paid
full cumulative dividends on all outstanding shares of the 6.75%
Perpetual Preferred Stock for all past dividend payment periods.
Further, if any dividends on the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock
are in arrears, we may not redeem any shares of the 6.75%
Perpetual Preferred Stock unless we simultaneously redeem all
outstanding shares of the 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock,
except pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same
terms to holders of all outstanding shares of the 6.75%
Perpetual Preferred Stock.
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock
Preferential Rights. The Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common stock and
ESOP Preferred Stock, equally with Series B Preferred Stock
and 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock, and junior to
Series BB Preferred Stock as to dividends and distributions
on liquidation.
Dividends. Through April 1, 2006, the holders
of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock are
entitled to receive dividends at the rate of 6.60% per
annum computed on the basis of the issue price of Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock of $250 per
share, payable quarterly out of the funds legally available for
the payment of dividends, before we may declare or pay any
dividend upon our common stock or junior preferred stock. After
April 1, 2006, the dividend rate on Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative
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Preferred Stock will be a rate per annum equal to 0.50% plus the
highest of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant
Maturity Rate, and the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate, as
each term is defined in our Amended and Restated Certificate of
Designations establishing the Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative
Preferred Stock. The applicable rate per annum for any dividend
period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will not be less
than 7.00% nor greater than 13.00%.
The dividends on Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred
Stock are cumulative. If the Internal Revenue Code is amended to
reduce the Dividends Received Deduction, we will increase the
amount of dividends that will be payable on Fixed/ Adjustable
Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock for dividend payments made on or
after the date of enactment of such amendment.
Voting Rights. Holders of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock have no voting rights, except as
required by law and to the extent the consent of the holders of
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock at the time
outstanding is necessary to authorize, effect, or validate any
amendment, alteration, or repeal of any provision of our Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or to create any
series of stock with dividend rights or liquidation preferences
ranking greater than the Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative
Preferred Stock. If any quarterly dividend payable on the Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock is in arrears for six
full quarterly dividends or more, the holders of Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock will be entitled to
vote together as a group, to the exclusion of the holders of any
other preferred stock or our common stock, at our next annual
meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and at
each subsequent meeting of stockholders for the election of
directors, until all dividends in arrears have been paid or
declared and set apart for payment, for two directors. Each
director elected by the holders of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock shall continue to serve as a director
until the dividend arrearage is eliminated.
Distributions. In the event of the voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, holders of
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock are entitled
to receive out of assets available for distribution to
stockholders an amount equal to $250 per share plus an
amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends up to and including
the date of distribution, and no more, before any distribution
will be made to the holders of any class of our stock ranking
junior to the Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock
as to the distribution of assets. In determining whether payment
of a distribution must be made to the holders of the Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, any merger,
consolidation, or purchase or sale of assets by us will not be
deemed a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of such
affairs. Shares of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred
Stock are not subject to a sinking fund.
Redemption. We may redeem the Fixed/ Adjustable Rate
Cumulative Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at our option,
on and after April 1, 2006, at $250 per share, plus
accrued and unpaid dividends, if any. We may also redeem the
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock prior to
April 1, 2006, in whole, at our option, if the Internal
Revenue Code is amended to reduce the Dividends Received
Deduction.
So long as any shares of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative
Preferred Stock are outstanding, we may not redeem any shares of
Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, our common
stock, or any other class of preferred stock ranking junior to
or on a parity with Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred
Stock, unless we have paid full cumulative dividends on all
outstanding shares of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative
Preferred Stock for all past dividend payment periods. Further,
if any dividends on Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred
Stock are in arrears, we may not redeem any shares of Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, unless we
simultaneously redeem all outstanding shares of Fixed/
Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, except pursuant to a
purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of
all outstanding shares of Fixed/ Adjustable Rate Cumulative
Preferred Stock.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
General
We may offer depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares,
each of which will represent fractional shares of preferred
stock, rather than full shares of these securities. We will
deposit shares of preferred stock of each series represented by
depositary shares under a deposit agreement between us and a
United States bank or trust company that we will select (the
depository).
The particular terms of the preferred stock offered and the
extent, if any, to which the general provisions may apply to the
depositary shares will be described in the prospectus
supplement. The general descriptions below and in the prospectus
supplement are not complete and are subject to and qualified in
their entirety by reference to the deposit agreement and the
depositary receipts, the forms of which are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement and the definitive forms
of which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or SEC, at the time of sale of the
depositary shares.
Terms of the Depositary Shares
Depositary receipts issued under the deposit agreement will
evidence the depositary shares. Depositary receipts will be
distributed to those persons purchasing depositary shares
representing fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance
with the terms of the offering. Subject to the terms of the
deposit agreement, each holder of a depositary share will be
entitled, in proportion to the fraction of a share of preferred
stock represented by the applicable depositary share, to all the
rights and preferences of the preferred stock being represented,
including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, and
liquidation rights, all as will be set forth in the prospectus
supplement relating to the depositary shares being offered.
Pending the preparation of definitive depositary receipts, the
depository, upon our written order, may issue temporary
depositary receipts. The temporary depositary receipts will be
substantially identical to, and will have all the rights of, the
definitive depositary receipts, but will not be in definitive
form. Definitive depositary receipts will be prepared thereafter
and temporary depositary receipts will be exchanged for
definitive depositary receipts at our expense.
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
Unless the depositary shares have been called for redemption, a
holder of depositary shares may surrender his or her depositary
receipts at the principal office of the depository, pay any
charges, and comply with any other terms as provided in the
deposit agreement for the number of shares of preferred stock
underlying the depositary shares. A holder of depositary shares
who withdraws shares of preferred stock will be entitled to
receive whole shares of preferred stock on the basis set forth
in the prospectus supplement relating to the depositary shares
being offered.
However, holders of whole shares of preferred stock will not be
entitled to deposit those shares under the deposit agreement or
to receive depositary receipts for those shares after the
withdrawal. If the depositary shares surrendered by the holder
in connection with the withdrawal exceed the number of
depositary shares that represent the number of whole shares of
preferred stock to be withdrawn, the depository will deliver to
the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing
the excess number of depositary shares.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depository will distribute all cash dividends or other cash
distributions received in respect of the preferred stock to the
record holders of depositary shares relating to that preferred
stock in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by
those holders. However, the depository will distribute only the
amount that can be distributed without attributing to any holder
of depositary shares a fraction of one cent. Any balance that is
not distributed will be added to and treated as part of the next
sum received by the depository for distribution to record
holders.
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If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depository
will distribute property it receives to the record holders of
depositary shares who are entitled to that property. However, if
the depository determines that it is not feasible to make this
distribution of property, the depository, with our approval, may
sell that property and distribute the net proceeds to the
holders of the depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If a series of preferred stock which relates to depositary
shares is redeemed, the depositary shares will be redeemed from
the proceeds received by the depository from the redemption, in
whole or in part, of that series of preferred stock. The
depository will mail notice of redemption at least 30 and not
more than 45 calendar days before the date fixed for redemption
to the record holders of the depositary shares to be redeemed at
their addresses appearing in the depositorys books. The
redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the
applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable on
that series of the preferred stock.
Whenever we redeem preferred stock held by the depository, the
depository will redeem as of the same redemption date the number
of depositary shares representing the preferred stock redeemed.
If less than all of the depositary shares are redeemed, the
depositary shares redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata
or by any other equitable method as the depository may decide.
After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares
called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be
outstanding. At that time, all rights of the holder of the
depositary shares will cease, except the right to receive any
money or other property they become entitled to receive upon
surrender to the depository of the depositary receipts.
Voting the Deposited Preferred Stock
Any voting rights of holders of the depositary shares are
directly dependent on the voting rights of the underlying
preferred stock, which customarily have limited voting rights.
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of
the preferred stock held by the depository are entitled to vote,
the depository will mail the information contained in the notice
of meeting to the record holders of the depositary shares
relating to the preferred stock. Each record holder of
depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same
date as the record date for the preferred stock, will be
entitled to instruct the depository as to the exercise of the
voting rights pertaining to the amount of preferred stock
underlying the holders depositary shares. The depository
will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of
preferred stock underlying the depositary shares in accordance
with these instructions. We will agree to take all action which
may be deemed necessary by the depository to enable the
depository to do so. The depository will not vote any shares of
preferred stock except to the extent it receives specific
instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing
that number of shares of preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares
and any provision of the deposit agreement may be amended by
agreement between us and the depository. However, any amendment
which materially and adversely alters the rights of the existing
holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the
amendment has been approved by the record holders of at least a
majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. Either we or
the depository may terminate a deposit agreement if all of the
outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or if there has
been a final distribution in respect of our preferred stock in
connection with our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up.
Charges of Depository
We will pay all transfer and other taxes, assessments, and
governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the
depository arrangements. We will pay the fees of the depository
in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock
and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary
receipts will
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pay transfer and other taxes, assessments, and governmental
charges and any other charges as are expressly provided in the
deposit agreement to be for their accounts. The depository may
refuse to effect any transfer of a depositary receipt or any
withdrawals of preferred stock evidenced by a depositary receipt
until all taxes, assessments, and governmental charges with
respect to the depositary receipt or preferred stock are paid by
their holders.
Miscellaneous
The depository will forward to the holders of depositary shares
all of our reports and communications which are delivered to the
depository and which we are required to furnish to the holders
of our preferred stock.
Neither we nor the depository will be liable if we are prevented
or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in
performing our obligations under the deposit agreement. All of
our obligations as well as the depositorys obligations
under the deposit agreement are limited to performance in good
faith of our respective duties set forth in the deposit
agreement, and neither of us will be obligated to prosecute or
defend any legal proceeding relating to any depositary shares or
preferred stock unless provided with satisfactory indemnity. We,
and the depository, may rely upon written advice of counsel or
accountants, or information provided by persons presenting
preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary shares, or
other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed
to be genuine.
Resignation and Removal of Depository
The depository may resign at any time by delivering to us notice
of its election to do so, and we may remove the depository at
any time. Any resignation or removal will take effect only upon
the appointment of a successor depository and the successor
depositorys acceptance of the appointment. Any successor
depository must be a United States bank or trust company.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
The following summary of our common stock is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the description of the common stock
incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
General
We are authorized to issue 7,500,000,000 shares of common
stock, par value $.01 per share, of which approximately
2.04 billion shares were outstanding on April 1, 2004.
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange and on
the Pacific Exchange under the symbol BAC. Our
common stock is also listed on the London Stock Exchange, and
certain shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. As of
April 1, 2004, 416.5 million shares were reserved for
issuance in connection with our various employee and director
benefit plans, our Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase
Plan, the conversion of our outstanding convertible securities,
and for other purposes. After taking into account the reserved
shares, there were approximately 5.04 billion authorized
shares of our common stock available for issuance as of
April 1, 2004.
Voting and Other Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share.
There are no cumulative voting rights. In general, a majority of
votes cast on a matter is sufficient to take action upon routine
matters, including the election of directors. However,
(1) amendments to our Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation must be approved by the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each class
entitled to vote thereon as a class, and (2) a merger,
dissolution, or the sale of all or substantially all of our
assets must be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding voting
shares.
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In the event of our liquidation, holders of our common stock
will be entitled to receive pro rata any assets legally
available for distribution to stockholders, subject to any prior
rights of any preferred stock then outstanding.
Our common stock does not have any preemptive rights, redemption
privileges, sinking fund privileges, or conversion rights. All
the outstanding shares of our common stock are, and upon proper
conversion of any preferred stock, all of the shares of our
common stock into which those shares are converted will be,
validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.
Mellon Investor Services LLC is the transfer agent and registrar
for our common stock.
Dividends
Subject to the preferential rights of any holders of any
outstanding series of preferred stock, the holders of our common
stock are entitled to receive dividends or distributions,
whether payable in cash or otherwise, as our board of directors
may declare out of funds legally available for payments. Stock
dividends, if any are declared, may be paid from our authorized
but unissued shares.
REGISTRATION AND SETTLEMENT
Each debt security, warrant, unit, share of preferred stock, and
depositary share in registered form will be represented either:
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by one or more global securities representing the entire
issuance of securities; or |
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by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular
investor. |
Book-Entry System
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we will
issue each security in book-entry only form. This means that we
will not issue actual notes or certificates. Instead, we will
issue global securities in registered form representing the
entire issuance of securities. Each global security will be
registered in the name of a financial institution that holds
them as depository on behalf of other financial institutions
that participate in that depositorys book-entry system.
These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial
interests in the securities on their own behalf or on behalf of
their customers.
If a security is registered on the books that we or the trustee,
warrant agent, unit agent, depository, or other agent maintain
in the name of a particular investor, we refer to that investor
as the holder of that security. These persons are
the legal holders of the securities. Consequently, for
securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the
depository as the holder of the securities and we will make all
payments on the securities, including deliveries of any property
other than cash, to the depository. The depository passes along
the payments it receives from us to its participants, which in
turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the
beneficial owners. The depository and its participants are
obligated to pass these payments along under agreements they
have made with one another or with their customers, and they are
not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.
As a result, investors will not own securities issued in
book-entry form directly. Instead, they will own beneficial
interests in a global security through a bank, broker, or other
financial institution that participates in the depositorys
book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant in
the depositorys book-entry system. As long as the
securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect
owners, and not holders, of the securities. The depository will
not have knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the
securities.
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Certificates in Registered Form
In the future we may cancel a global security or issue
securities initially in non-global, or certificated, form. We do
not expect to exchange global securities for actual notes or
certificates registered in the names of the beneficial owners of
the global securities representing the securities unless:
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the depository, such as The Depository Trust Company, New York,
New York, which is known as DTC, notifies us that it
is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for the global
securities or we become aware that the depository has ceased to
be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, and in any case we fail to appoint a successor to
the depository within 60 calendar days; |
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we, in our sole discretion, determine that the global securities
will be exchangeable for certificated securities; or |
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an event of default has occurred and is continuing with respect
to the securities under the applicable Indenture or agreement. |
Street Name Owners
When actual notes or certificates registered in the names of the
beneficial owners are issued, investors may choose to hold their
securities in their own names or in street name. Securities held
by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of
a bank, broker, or other financial institution that the investor
chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest
in those securities through an account that he or she maintains
at that institution. For securities held in street name, we will
recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers, and other
financial institutions in whose names the securities are
registered as the holders of those securities and we will make
all payments on those securities, including deliveries of any
property other than cash, to them. These institutions pass along
the payments they receive to their customers who are the
beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their
customer agreements or because they are legally required to do
so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be
indirect owners, not holders, of those securities.
Legal Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee under
any Indenture and the obligations, if any, of any warrant
agents, unit agents, depository, and any other third parties
employed by us, the trustee, or any of those agents, run only to
the holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to
investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities,
who hold the securities in street name, or who hold the
securities by any other indirect means. This will be the case
whether an investor chooses to be an indirect owner of a
security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities
only in global form. For example, once we make a payment or give
a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for
that payment or notice even if that holder is required, under
agreements with depository participants or customers or by law,
to pass it along to the indirect owners, but does not do so.
Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for
any purpose, such as to amend the Indenture for a series of debt
securities or the warrant agreement for a series of warrants or
the unit agreement for a series of units or to relieve us of the
consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a
particular provision of an Indenture, we would seek the approval
only from the holders, and not the indirect owners, of the
relevant securities. Whether and how the holders contact the
indirect owners is up to the holders. When we refer to
you in this prospectus, we mean those who invest in
the securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they
are the holders or only indirect owners of those securities.
When we refer to your securities in this prospectus,
we mean the securities in which you will hold a direct or
indirect interest.
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Special Considerations for Indirect Owners
If you hold securities through a bank, broker, or other
financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street
name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
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how it handles payments on your securities and notices; |
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whether you can provide contact information to the registrar to
receive copies of notices directly; |
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whether it imposes fees or charges; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to exercise any rights to
purchase or sell warrant property under a warrant or to exchange
or convert a security for or into other property; |
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how it would handle a request for the holders consent, if
required; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you the securities
registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is
permitted at any time; |
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how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were
a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act
to protect their interests; and |
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if the securities are in book-entry form, how the
depositorys rules and procedures will affect these matters. |
Depositories for Global Securities
Each security issued in book-entry form and represented by a
global security will be deposited with, and registered in the
name of, one or more financial institutions or clearing systems,
or their nominees, which we will select. These financial
institutions or clearing systems that we select for any security
are called depositories. Each series of securities
will have one or more of the following as the depositories:
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DTC; |
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a financial institution holding the securities on behalf of
Euroclear Bank S.A./ N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system,
which is known as Euroclear; |
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a financial institution holding the securities on behalf of
Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, Luxembourg,
which is known as Clearstream, Luxembourg; and |
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any other clearing system or financial institution named in the
applicable prospectus supplement. |
The depositories named above also may be participants in one
anothers systems. For example, if DTC is the depository
for a global security, investors may hold beneficial interests
in that security through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as
DTC participants. The depository or depositories for your
securities will be named in the applicable prospectus
supplement. If no depository is named, the depository will be
DTC.
The Depository Trust Company
The following is based on information furnished to us by DTC:
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DTC will act as securities depository for the securities. The
securities will be issued as fully-registered securities
registered in the name of Cede & Co., which is
DTCs partnership nominee, or any other name as may be
requested by an authorized representative of DTC. Generally, one
fully registered global security will be issued for each issue
of the securities, each in the aggregate principal amount of the
issue, and will be deposited with DTC. If, however, the
aggregate principal amount of any issue exceeds
$500 million, one certificate will be issued with respect
to each $500 million of principal amount, and an additional
certificate will be issued with respect to any remaining
principal amount of the issue. |
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DTC, the worlds largest depository, is a limited-purpose
trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a
banking organization within the meaning of the New
York Banking Law, a |
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member of the Federal Reserve System, a clearing
corporation within the meaning of the New York Uniform
Commercial Code, and a clearing agency registered
under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over two million
issues of United States and non-United States equity issues,
corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market
instruments from over 85 countries that its participants deposit
with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among
direct participants of sales and other securities transactions
in deposited securities through electronic computerized
book-entry transfers and pledges between direct participants.
This eliminates the need for physical movement of certificates
representing securities. Direct participants include both United
States and non-United States securities brokers and dealers,
banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other
organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The
Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
(DTCC). DTCC, in turn, is owned by a number of
direct participants of DTC and members of the National
Securities Clearing Corporation, Government Securities Clearing
Corporation, MBS Clearing Corporation, and Emerging Markets
Clearing Corporation, also subsidiaries of DTCC, as well as by
The New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange
LLC, and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as
both United States and non-United States securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies, and clearing corporations that
clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct
participant, either directly or indirectly. The DTC rules
applicable to its participants are on file with the SEC. More
information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com. |
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Purchases of the securities under the DTC system must be made by
or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for
the securities on DTCs records. The beneficial interest of
each actual purchaser of each security is in turn to be recorded
on the direct and indirect participants records.
Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC
of their purchase. A beneficial owner, however, is expected to
receive written confirmations providing details of the
transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings,
from the direct or indirect participant through which the
beneficial owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of
beneficial interests in the securities are to be accomplished by
entries made on the books of direct and indirect participants
acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will
not receive certificates representing their beneficial interests
in the securities, except if the use of the book-entry system
for the securities is discontinued. |
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To facilitate subsequent transfers, all securities deposited by
direct participants with DTC are registered in the name of
DTCs partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such
other name as may be requested by an authorized representative
of DTC. The deposit of securities with DTC and their
registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other
DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership.
DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the
securities; DTCs records reflect only the identity of the
direct participants to whose accounts such securities are
credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The
direct and indirect participants will remain responsible for
keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers. |
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Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participants, by direct participants to indirect participants,
and by direct and indirect participants to beneficial owners
will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any
statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from
time to time. |
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None of DTC, Cede & Co., or any other DTC nominee will
consent or vote with respect to the securities unless authorized
by a direct participant in accordance with DTCs
procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an omnibus
proxy to us as soon as possible after the regular record date.
The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.s consenting
or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts
the securities are credited on the regular record date. These
participants are identified in a listing attached to the omnibus
proxy. |
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We will make payments of principal, any premium, interest, or
other amounts on the securities in immediately available funds
directly to Cede & Co., or any other nominee as may be
requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTCs
practice is to credit direct participants accounts upon
DTCs |
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receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us,
on the applicable payment date in accordance with their
respective holdings shown on DTCs records. Payments by
participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is the case with
securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or
registered in street name. These payments will be the
responsibility of these participants and not of DTC or any other
party, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements that
may be in effect from time to time. Payment of principal and any
premium or interest to Cede & Co., or any other nominee
as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC, is
our responsibility. Disbursement of the payments to direct
participants is the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of
the payments to the beneficial owners is the responsibility of
the direct or indirect participants. |
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We will send any redemption notices to DTC. If less than all of
the securities of a series are being redeemed, DTCs
practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of
each direct participant in the issue to be redeemed. |
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DTC may discontinue providing its services as depository for the
securities at any time by giving us reasonable notice. If this
occurs, and if a successor securities depository is not
obtained, we will print and deliver certificated securities. |
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The information in this section concerning DTC and DTCs
book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe
to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for its accuracy. |
Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear
Each series of securities represented by a global security sold
or traded outside the United States may be held through
Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear, which provide clearing,
settlement, depository, and related services for internationally
traded securities. Both Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear
provide a clearing and settlement organization for cross-border
bonds, equities, and investment funds. Clearstream, Luxembourg
is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg. Euroclear is
incorporated under the laws of Belgium.
Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg are securities clearance
systems in Europe that clear and settle securities transactions
between their participants through electronic, book-entry
delivery of securities against payment. Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg may be depositories for a global
security. In addition, if DTC is the depository for a global
security, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg may hold
interests in the global security as participants in DTC. As long
as any global security is held by Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg as depository, you may hold an interest in the global
security only through an organization that participates,
directly or indirectly, in Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg.
If Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg is the depository for a
global security and there is no depository in the United States,
you will not be able to hold interests in that global security
through any securities clearance system in the United States.
Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices, and other
matters relating to the securities made through Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg must comply with the rules and
procedures of those systems. Those systems could change their
rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those
systems or their participants and we take no responsibility for
their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear
or Clearstream, Luxembourg on one hand, and participants in DTC,
on the other hand, when DTC is the depository, also would be
subject to DTCs rules and procedures.
Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg payments, deliveries, transfers,
exchanges, notices, and other transactions involving any
securities held through those systems only on days when those
systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for
business on days when banks, brokers, and other institutions are
open for business in the United States. In addition, because of
time-zone differences, United States investors who hold their
interests in the securities through these systems and wish to
transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or
delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their
interests, on a particular day may find that the transaction
will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg
or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to
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exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act
before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold
their interests through both DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg may need to make special arrangements to finance any
purchases or sales of their interests between the United States
and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle
later than would be the case for transactions within one
clearing system.
Special Considerations for Global Securities
As an indirect owner, an investors rights relating to a
global security will be governed by the account rules of the
depository and those of the investors financial
institution or other intermediary through which it holds its
interest (e.g., Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg if DTC is
the depository), as well as general laws relating to securities
transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor or any
intermediary as a holder of securities. Instead, we deal only
with the depository that holds the global security. If
securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an
investor should be aware of the following:
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an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his
or her own name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for
his or her interest in the securities, except in the special
situations described above; |
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an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or
her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and
protection of any legal rights relating to the securities; |
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an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities
to some insurance companies and other institutions that are
required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form; |
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an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a
global security in circumstances where certificates representing
the securities must be delivered to the lender or other
beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be
effective; |
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the depositorys policies will govern payments, deliveries,
transfers, exchanges, notices, and other matters relating to an
investors interest in a global security, and those
policies may change from time to time; |
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we, the trustee, any warrant agents, and any unit agents will
not be responsible for any aspect of the depositorys
policies, actions, or records of ownership interests in a global
security; |
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we, the trustee, any warrant agents, and any unit agents do not
supervise the depository in any way; |
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the depository will require that those who purchase and sell
interests in a global security within its book-entry system use
immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require
you to do so as well; and |
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financial institutions that participate in the depositorys
book-entry system and through which an investor holds his or her
interest in the global securities, directly or indirectly, also
may have their own policies affecting payments, deliveries,
transfers, exchanges, notices, and other matters relating to the
securities. Those policies may change from time to time. For
example, if you hold an interest in a global security through
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, when DTC is the
depository, Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as applicable,
will require those who purchase and sell interests in that
security through them to use immediately available funds and
comply with other policies and procedures, including deadlines
for giving instructions as to transactions that are to be
effected on a particular day. There may be more than one
financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an
investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the
policies or actions or records of ownership interests of any of
those intermediaries. |
Registration, Transfer, and Payment of Certificated Notes
If we ever issue securities in certificated form, those
securities may be presented for registration, transfer, and
payment at the office of the registrar or at the office of any
transfer agent we designate and maintain.
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The registrar or transfer agent will make the transfer or
registration only if it is satisfied with the documents of title
and identity of the person making the request. There will not be
a service charge for any exchange or registration of transfer of
the securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with the exchange. At any time we may
change transfer agents or approve a change in the location
through which any transfer agent acts. We also may designate
additional transfer agents for any securities at any time.
We will not be required to issue, exchange, or register the
transfer of any security to be redeemed for a period of 15
calendar days before the selection of the securities to be
redeemed. In addition, we will not be required to exchange or
register the transfer of any security that was selected, called,
or is being called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion
of any security being redeemed in part.
We will pay principal, any premium, interest, and any amounts
payable on any certificated securities at the offices of the
paying agents we may designate from time to time. Generally, we
will pay interest on a security on any interest payment date to
the person in whose name the security is registered at the close
of business on the regular record date for that payment.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell securities:
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through underwriters; |
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through dealers; |
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through agents; or |
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directly to purchasers. |
The underwriters, dealers, or agents may be Banc of America
Securities LLC or any of our other affiliates.
Each prospectus supplement relating to an offering of securities
will state the terms of the offering, including:
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the names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents; |
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the public offering or purchase price of the offered securities
and the net proceeds that we will receive from the sale; |
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any underwriting discounts and commissions or other items
constituting underwriters compensation; |
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any discounts, commissions, or fees allowed or paid to dealers
or agents; and |
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any securities exchange on which the offered securities may be
listed. |
Distribution Through Underwriters
We may offer and sell securities from time to time to one or
more underwriters who would purchase the securities as principal
for resale to the public, either on a firm commitment or best
efforts basis. If we sell securities to underwriters, we will
execute an underwriting agreement with them at the time of the
sale and will name them in the prospectus supplement. In
connection with these sales, the underwriters may be deemed to
have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting
discounts and commissions. The underwriters also may receive
commissions from purchasers of securities for whom they may act
as agent. Unless otherwise stated in the prospectus supplement,
the underwriters will not be obligated to purchase the
securities unless the conditions set forth in the underwriting
agreement are satisfied, and if the underwriters purchase any of
the securities, they will be required to purchase all of the
offered securities. The underwriters may sell the offered
securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive
discounts, concessions, or commissions from the underwriters as
well as from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Any
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initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions
allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time
to time.
Distribution Through Dealers
We may offer and sell securities from time to time to one or
more dealers who would purchase the securities as principal. The
dealers then may resell the offered securities to the public at
fixed or varying prices to be determined by those dealers at the
time of resale. We will set forth the names of the dealers and
the terms of the transaction in the prospectus supplement.
Distribution Through Agents
We may offer and sell securities on a continuous basis through
agents that become parties to an underwriting or distribution
agreement. We will name any agent involved in the offer and sale
and describe any commissions payable by us in the prospectus
supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus
supplement, the agent will be acting on a best efforts basis
during the appointment period.
Direct Sales
We may sell directly to, and solicit offers from, institutional
investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters, as
defined in the Securities Act of 1933, for any resale of the
securities. We will describe the terms of any of those sales in
the prospectus supplement.
General Information
Underwriters, dealers, or agents participating in an offering of
securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts
and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them
on resale of the offered securities for whom they act as agent,
may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under
the Securities Act of 1933.
We may offer to sell securities either at a fixed price or at
prices that may vary, at market prices prevailing at the time of
sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at
negotiated prices.
Ordinarily, each series of offered securities will be a new
issue of securities and will have no established trading market.
To facilitate offering the securities in an underwritten
transaction and in accordance with industry practice, the
underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize,
maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the offered
securities or any other securities. Those transactions may
include overallotment, entering stabilizing bids, effecting
syndicate covering transactions, and reclaiming selling
concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer.
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An overallotment in connection with an offering creates a short
position in the offered securities for the underwriters
own account. |
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An underwriter may place a stabilizing bid to purchase an
offered security for the purpose of pegging, fixing, or
maintaining the price of that security. |
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Underwriters may engage in syndicate covering transactions to
cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the offered
securities by bidding for, and purchasing, the offered
securities or any other securities in the open market in order
to reduce a short position created in connection with the
offering. |
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The managing underwriter may impose a penalty bid on a syndicate
member to reclaim a selling concession in connection with an
offering when offered securities originally sold by the
syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering
transactions or otherwise. |
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Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market
price of the securities above independent market levels. The
underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and
may end any of these activities at any time.
Any underwriters to whom the offered securities are sold for
offering and sale may make a market in the offered securities,
but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may
discontinue any market-making at any time without notice. The
offered securities may or may not be listed on a securities
exchange. We cannot assure you that there will be a liquid
trading market for the offered securities.
Under agreements entered into with us, underwriters and agents
may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933, or to contribution for payments the underwriters or agents
may be required to make.
One of our subsidiaries, Banc of America Securities LLC, is a
broker-dealer and a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Each initial offering and any
remarketing of securities involving any of our broker-dealer
subsidiaries, including Banc of America Securities LLC, will be
conducted in compliance with the requirements of Rule 2720
of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. regarding the offer and sale of securities of an
affiliate. Following the initial distribution of securities, our
affiliates, including Banc of America Securities LLC, may buy
and sell the securities in market-making transactions as part of
their business as a broker-dealer. Resales of this kind may
occur in the open market or may be privately negotiated at
prevailing market prices at the time of sale. Securities may be
sold in connection with a remarketing after their purchase by
one or more firms including our affiliates, acting as principal
for their accounts or as our agent.
The underwriters, agents, and their affiliates may engage in
financial or other business transactions with us and our
subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.
The maximum commission or discount to be received by any member
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
independent broker-dealer will not be greater than eight percent
of the initial gross proceeds from the sale of any security
being sold.
This prospectus and related prospectus supplements may be used
by one or more of our affiliates in connection with offers and
sales related to market-making transactions in the securities,
including block positioning and block trades, to the extent
permitted by applicable law. Any of our affiliates may act as
principal or agent in those transactions. None of Banc of
America Securities LLC or any other member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. participating in the
distribution of the securities will execute a transaction in the
securities in a discretionary account without specific prior
written approval of that customer.
The aggregate initial offering price specified on the cover of
this prospectus relates to the initial offering of the
securities not yet issued as of the date of this prospectus.
This amount does not include the securities to be sold in
market-making transactions. Securities sold in market-making
transactions include securities issued after the date of this
prospectus as well as securities previously issued.
We will provide information to the purchaser about the trade and
settlement dates, as well as the purchase price, for a
market-making transaction in a separate confirmation of sale.
Unless we or our agent inform you in your confirmation of sale
that the security is being purchased in its original offering
and sale, you may assume that you are purchasing the security in
a market-making transaction.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly, and special reports, proxy
statements, and other information with the SEC. You may read and
copy any document that we file with the SEC at the Public
Reference Room of the SEC at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330. You
also may inspect our filings over the Internet at the SECs
website, www.sec.gov. The reports and other information we file
with the SEC also are available at our website,
www.bankofamerica.com. We have included the SECs web
address and our web address as inactive textual references only.
Except as specifically incorporated by reference into this
prospectus, information on those websites is not part of this
prospectus.
You also can inspect reports and other information we file at
the offices of The New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad
Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10005.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we
file with it. This means:
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incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus; |
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we can disclose important information to you by referring you to
those documents; and |
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information that we file with the SEC automatically will update
and supersede this incorporated information and information in
this prospectus. |
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below which
were filed with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934:
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our annual report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003; |
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our current reports on
Form 8-K filed
January 2, 2004, January 15, 2004, January 29,
2004, February 17, 2004, February 19, 2004,
March 2, 2004, March 10, 2004, March 15, 2004,
March 18, 2004, March 22, 2004, March 23, 2004,
March 30, 2004, April 1, 2004 (as amended on
April 14, 2004), April 9, 2004, and April 14,
2004 (other than those portions furnished under Item 9 or
Item 12 of
Form 8-K); and |
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the description of our common stock which is contained in our
registration statement filed pursuant to Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as modified on our current
report on Form 8-K
dated March 30, 2004. |
We also incorporate by reference reports that we will file under
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, but not any information that we may
furnish under Item 9 or Item 12 of
Form 8-K.
You should assume that the information appearing in this
prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus.
Our business, financial position, and results of operations may
have changed since that date.
You may request a copy of any filings referred to above
(excluding exhibits), at no cost, by contacting us at the
following address:
Bank of America Corporation
Corporate Treasury Division
NC1-007-07-06
100 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28255
(704) 386-5972
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and all accompanying prospectus supplements
contain or incorporate by reference statements that constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You may
find these statements by looking for words such as
plan, believe, expect,
intend, anticipate,
estimate, project,
potential, possible, or other similar
expressions.
The forward-looking statements involve certain risks and
uncertainties. Our ability to predict results or the actual
effect of our results, performance, or achievements, is
inherently uncertain. Accordingly, actual results may differ
materially from anticipated results. Information regarding
important factors that could cause actual results to differ,
perhaps materially, from those in our forward-looking
statements, is contained under the caption Item 7,
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations in our annual report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003, which is incorporated by
reference. See Where You Can Find More Information
above for information about how to obtain a copy of our annual
report.
Because these forward-looking statements are subject to
assumptions and uncertainties, actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date of
this prospectus or the date of any document incorporated by
reference in this prospectus.
All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
attributable to us or any person on our behalf are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements
contained or referred to in this section. Except to the extent
required by applicable law or regulation, we undertake no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
LEGAL OPINIONS
The legality of the securities will be passed upon for us by
Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, Charlotte, North
Carolina, and for the underwriters or agents by
Morrison & Foerster LLP, New York, New York. As of the
date of this prospectus, certain members of Helms
Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, beneficially own less than
one-tenth of 1% of our outstanding shares of common stock.
EXPERTS
Our consolidated financial statements incorporated in this
prospectus by reference to our annual report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003 have been incorporated in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
independent accountants, given on the authority of that firm as
experts in auditing and accounting.
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You should rely only on the information incorporated by
reference or provided in this prospectus supplement, the
accompanying prospectus, and the related pricing supplement. We
have not authorized anyone to provide you with different
information. We are not offering the securities in any
jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not
assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other
than the date on the front of this document.
Our affiliates, including Banc of America Securities LLC and
Banc of America Investment Services, Inc., will deliver this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the
related pricing supplement for offers and sales in the secondary
market.
$10,000,000,000
Medium-Term Notes,
Series K
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Banc of America Securities LLC
Banc of America Investment
Services, Inc.
April 15, 2004