DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Terms not defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the
accompanying prospectus supplement. The term “Security” refers to each $1,000 Stated Principal Amount of our Autocallable
Quarterly Review Notes due July 10, 2024 Based on the Performance of Brent Crude Oil Futures Contracts.
Aggregate Principal Amount |
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$ |
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Pricing Date |
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June 27, 2023 |
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Original Issue Date (Settlement Date) |
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June 30, 2023 (3 Business Days after the Pricing Date). |
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Maturity Date |
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July 10, 2024, subject to extension in accordance with the following paragraph. |
If, due to a Market Disruption Event
or otherwise, the scheduled Final Determination Date is postponed so that it falls less than two Business Days prior to the scheduled
Maturity Date, the Maturity Date will be postponed to the second Business Day following such Final Determination Date as postponed. See
“––Final Determination Date” below.
Interest Rate |
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None |
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Specified Currency |
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U.S. dollars |
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Stated Principal Amount |
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$1,000 per Security |
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Original Issue Price |
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$1,000 per Security |
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CUSIP Number |
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61774FCF7 |
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ISIN |
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US61774FCF71 |
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Denominations |
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$1,000 and integral multiples thereof |
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Underlying Commodity |
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Brent crude oil futures contracts |
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Automatic Early Call |
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If, on any of the three Review Dates, the Commodity Price is at or above the Initial Commodity Price, we will call the Securities, in whole and not in part, for the applicable Call Price on the third Business Day following such Review Date (as may be postponed under “––Review Dates” below) (the applicable “Call Date”). |
In the event that the Securities are
subject to Automatic Early Call, we will, or will cause the Calculation Agent to, (i) on the Business Day following the applicable Review
Date (as may be postponed under “––Review Dates” below), give notice of the Automatic Early Call of the Securities
and the applicable Call Price, including specifying the payment date of the applicable amount due upon the Automatic Early Call (the applicable
Call Date), to the Trustee, upon which notice the Trustee may conclusively rely, and to The Depository Trust Company, which we refer to
as DTC, and (ii) deliver the aggregate cash amount due with respect to the Securities to the Trustee for delivery to DTC, as holder of
the Securities, on or prior to the applicable Call Date. See “—Book-Entry Note or Certificated Note” below, and
see “Forms of Securities—The
Depositary” in the accompanying prospectus.
Call Price |
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The Call Price will equal: |
| • | $1,050 (corresponding to 105.00% of the Stated Principal Amount)
if the Automatic Early Call occurs with respect to the first Review Date; |
| • | $1,100 (corresponding to 110.00% of the Stated Principal Amount)
if the Automatic Early Call occurs with respect to the second Review Date; or |
| • | $1,150 (corresponding to 115.00% of the Stated Principal Amount)
if the Automatic Early Call occurs with respect to the third Review Date. |
Payment at Maturity |
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If the Securities have not been automatically called prior to maturity, you will receive for each $1,000 Stated Principal Amount of Securities that you hold a Payment at Maturity equal to: |
| • | if the Final Commodity Price is at or above the Downside Threshold Level, $1,200 (corresponding
to 120.00% of the Stated Principal Amount), |
| • | if the Final Commodity Price is below the Downside Threshold Level, which means it has declined
by more than 26% from the Initial Commodity Price, |
$1,000 + ($1,000
× Commodity Percent Change)
If the Final Commodity
Price declines by more than 26% from the Initial Commodity Price, you will be fully exposed to the decline in the Final Commodity Price
from the Initial Commodity Price. There is no minimum payment at maturity on the Securities. Accordingly, you could lose your entire initial
investment in the Securities.
We will, or will cause
the Calculation Agent to, (i) provide written notice to the Trustee, upon which notice the Trustee may conclusively rely, and to DTC of
the amount of cash, if any, to be delivered with respect to each $1,000 Stated Principal Amount of Securities on or prior to 10:30 a.m.
(New York City time) on the Business Day preceding the Maturity Date, and (ii) deliver the aggregate cash amount, if any, due with respect
to the Securities to the Trustee for delivery to DTC, as holder of the Securities, on or prior to the Maturity Date. We expect such amount
of cash, if any, will be distributed to investors on the Maturity Date in accordance with the standard rules and procedures of DTC and
its direct and indirect participants. See “—Book-Entry Note or Certificated Note” below, and see “Forms of Securities—The
Depositary” in the accompanying prospectus.
Commodity Percent Change |
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A fraction, the numerator of which is the Final Commodity Price minus the Initial Commodity Price and the denominator of which |
is the Initial Commodity
Price, as described by the following formula:
Commodity Percent Change |
= |
Final Commodity
Price – Initial Commodity Price |
Initial Commodity Price |
Commodity Price |
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The Commodity Price for the Underlying Commodity on any Trading Day will be determined by the Calculation Agent and will equal the official settlement price per barrel of Brent crude oil on the Relevant Exchange of the first nearby month futures contract, stated in U.S. dollars, as made public by the Relevant Exchange on such date. |
Reuters, Bloomberg and various other
third-party sources may report prices of the Underlying Commodity. If any such reported price differs from that as published by the Relevant
Exchange for the Underlying Commodity, the price as published by such Relevant Exchange will prevail.
Initial Commodity Price |
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$74.05, which was determined on June 22, 2023 |
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Downside Threshold Level |
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$54.797, which is 74% of the Initial Commodity Price |
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Final Commodity Price |
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The Commodity Price on the Final Determination Date, as determined by the Calculation Agent. |
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Review Dates |
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October 5, 2023 (first Review Date), January 5, 2024 (second Review Date) and April 5, 2024 (third Review Date); provided that if any scheduled Review Date is not a Trading Day with respect to the Underlying Commodity or if a Market Disruption Event occurs on any scheduled Review Date, such Review Date will be postponed and the Commodity Price will be determined on the immediately succeeding Trading Day on which no Market Disruption Event occurs. The Commodity Price as of each Review Date will not be determined on a date later than the fifth scheduled Trading Day following the relevant scheduled Review Date. If such date is not a Trading Day with respect to the Underlying Commodity or if there is a Market Disruption Event on such date, the Calculation Agent will determine the Commodity Price as of the relevant Review Date on such fifth scheduled Trading Day by requesting the principal office of each of the three leading dealers in the relevant market, selected by the Calculation Agent, to provide a quotation for the relevant price. If such quotations are provided as requested, the Commodity Price will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than three quotations are provided as requested, such Commodity Price as of the relevant Review Date shall be determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole and absolute discretion (acting in good faith) taking into account any information that it deems relevant. |
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Final Determination Date |
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July 5, 2024; provided that if the scheduled Final Determination Date is not a Trading Day with respect to the Underlying Commodity or if a Market Disruption Event occurs on the scheduled Final Determination Date, such Final Determination |
Date will be postponed
and the Commodity Price will be determined on the immediately succeeding Trading Day on which no Market Disruption Event occurs. The Commodity
Price will not be determined on a date later than the fifth scheduled Trading Day following the scheduled Final Determination Date. If
such date is not a Trading Day with respect to the Underlying Commodity or if there is a Market Disruption Event on such date, the Calculation
Agent will determine the Commodity Price on such fifth scheduled Trading Day by requesting the principal office of each of the three leading
dealers in the relevant market, selected by the Calculation Agent, to provide a quotation for the relevant price. If such quotations are
provided as requested, the Commodity Price will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than three quotations are provided
as requested, such Commodity Price shall be determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole and absolute discretion (acting in good faith)
taking into account any information that it deems relevant.
Market Disruption Event |
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Market Disruption Event means any of Price Source Disruption, Disappearance of Commodity Reference Price, Trading Disruption or Tax Disruption, as determined by the Calculation Agent. |
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Price Source Disruption |
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Price Source Disruption means the temporary or permanent failure of the Relevant Exchange to announce or publish the Commodity Price. |
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Disappearance of Commodity Reference Price |
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Disappearance of Commodity Reference Price means either (i) the failure of trading to commence, or the permanent discontinuance of trading, in the Underlying Commodity or futures contracts related to the Underlying Commodity on the Relevant Exchange or (ii) the disappearance of, or of trading in, the Underlying Commodity. |
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Trading Disruption |
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Trading Disruption means the material suspension of, or material limitation imposed on, trading in the Underlying Commodity or futures contracts related to the Underlying Commodity on the Relevant Exchange. |
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Tax Disruption |
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Tax Disruption means the imposition of, change in or removal of an excise, severance, sales, use, value-added, transfer, stamp, documentary, recording or similar tax on, or measured by reference to, the Underlying Commodity (other than a tax on, or measured by reference to, overall gross or net income) by any government or taxation authority after the Pricing Date, if the direct effect of such imposition, change or removal is to raise or lower the Commodity Price of the Underlying Commodity on any Trading Day that would otherwise be a Review Date or the Final Determination Date from what it would have been without that imposition, change or removal. |
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Business Day |
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Any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York. |
Relevant Exchange |
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Relevant Exchange means the ICE Futures Europe, or, if such Relevant Exchange is no longer the principal exchange or trading market for the Underlying Commodity, such exchange or principal trading market for the Underlying Commodity that serves as the source of prices for the Underlying Commodity and any principal exchanges where options or futures contracts on the Underlying Commodity are traded. |
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Trading Day |
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Trading Day means a day, as determined by the Calculation Agent, that is a day on which the Relevant Exchange is open for trading during its regular trading session, notwithstanding any such Relevant Exchange closing prior to its scheduled closing time. |
Book Entry Note
or
Certificated Note |
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Book Entry. The Securities will be issued in the form of one or more fully registered global securities which will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC and will be registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. DTC’s nominee will be the only registered holder of the Securities. Your beneficial interest in the Securities will be evidenced solely by entries on the books of the securities intermediary acting on your behalf as a direct or indirect participant in DTC. In this pricing supplement, all references to actions taken by “you” or to be taken by “you” refer to actions taken or to be taken by DTC and its participants acting on your behalf, and all references to payments or notices to you will mean payments or notices to DTC, as the registered holder of the Securities, for distribution to participants in accordance with DTC’s procedures. For more information regarding DTC and book-entry securities, please read “Forms of Securities—The Depositary” and “Forms of Securities—Global Securities” in the accompanying prospectus. |
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Senior Note or Subordinated Note |
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Senior |
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Trustee |
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The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation |
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Agent |
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MS & Co. and its successors |
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Calculation Agent |
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MSCG and its successors. |
All determinations made by the Calculation
Agent will be at the sole discretion of the Calculation Agent and will, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive for all purposes
and binding on you, the Trustee, us and the Guarantor.
All calculations and determinations
with respect to the Automatic Early Call and the Payment at Maturity, if any, will be made by the Calculation Agent and will be rounded
to the nearest one hundred-thousandth, with five one-millionths rounded upward (e.g., .876545 would be rounded to .87655); all
dollar amounts related to determination of the amount of cash payable per Security, if any, will be rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth,
with five one hundred-thousandths rounded upward (e.g., .76545 would be rounded up to .7655); and all dollar amounts paid on the
aggregate number of Securities, if any,
will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent rounded upward.
Because the Calculation Agent is our
affiliate, the economic interests of the Calculation Agent and its affiliates may be adverse to your interests as an investor in the Securities,
including with respect to certain determinations and judgments that the Calculation Agent must make in determining the Initial Commodity
Price, the Downside Threshold Level, the Commodity Price on each Review Date, the Final Commodity Price, whether the Commodity Price on
any of the three Review Dates is at or above the Initial Commodity Price and therefore whether the Securities will be called following
such Review Date, or whether a Market Disruption Event has occurred, and, if the Securities are not called prior to maturity, the Payment
at Maturity, if any. See “––Market Disruption Event” below. MSCG is obligated to carry out its duties and functions
as Calculation Agent in good faith and using its reasonable judgment. See also “Risk Factors––The calculation agent,
which is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley and an affiliate of MSFL, will make determinations with respect to the securities.”
Alternate Exchange Calculation
in Case of an Event of Default |
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In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities will have occurred and be continuing, the amount declared due and payable per Security upon any acceleration of the Securities will be an amount in cash equal to the value of such Securities on the day that is two business days prior to the date of such acceleration, as determined by the Calculation Agent (acting in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner) by reference to factors that the Calculation Agent considers relevant, including, without limitation: (i) then-current market interest rates; (ii) our credit spreads as of the Pricing Date, without adjusting for any subsequent changes to our creditworthiness; and (iii) the then-current value of the performance-based component of such Securities. Because the Calculation Agent will take into account movements in market interest rates, any increase in market interest rates since the Pricing Date will lower the value of your claim in comparison to if such movements were not taken into account. |
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, bankruptcy or insolvency of, or any analogous proceeding is filed with respect
to MSFL, then depending on applicable bankruptcy law, your claim may be limited to an amount that could be less than this amount.
Historical Information |
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The following table sets forth the published high and low daily prices of the Underlying Commodity, as well as the end-of-quarter prices of the Underlying Commodity, for each calendar quarter in the period from January 1, 2018 to June 21, 2023. The Commodity Price on June 21, 2023 was $77.12. The graph following the table sets forth the daily prices of the Underlying Commodity for the same period. We obtained the information in the table and graph below from Bloomberg Financial Markets, |
without independent
verification. The Commodity Prices of the Underlying Commodity on each day on which such price must be determined, including the Review
Dates and the Final Determination Date, will be determined with reference to the prices published by the Relevant Exchange in accordance
with the provisions set forth herein, rather than the prices published by Bloomberg Financial Markets on such dates. The historical performance
of the Underlying Commodity set out in the table and graph below should not be taken as an indication of its future performance, and no
assurance can be given as to the Commodity Price on any date, including the Review Dates, or as to the Final Commodity Price. If the
Securities are not automatically called prior to maturity and if the Final Commodity Price has declined by more than the 26% from the
Initial Commodity Price, you will lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment at maturity. We cannot give you any
assurance that the Securities will be called prior to maturity or that, if the Securities are not called, the Final Commodity Price will
be at or above the Downside Threshold Level so that at maturity you will receive a payment that is greater than the Stated Principal Amount
of the Securities, or that you will not lose a significant portion or all of your investment. The price of the Underlying Commodity may
be, and has recently been, volatile, and we can give you no assurance that the volatility will lessen.
Brent Crude Oil Futures Contracts
High and Low Daily Closing Prices
and
End-of-Quarter Prices
January 1, 2018 through June 21,
2023
(stated in U.S. dollars per barrel)
Brent Crude Oil Futures Contracts |
High
($) |
Low
($) |
Period
End ($) |
2018 |
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First Quarter |
70.53 |
62.59 |
70.27 |
Second Quarter |
79.80 |
67.11 |
79.44 |
Third Quarter |
82.72 |
70.76 |
82.72 |
Fourth Quarter |
86.29 |
50.47 |
53.80 |
2019 |
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First Quarter |
68.50 |
54.91 |
68.39 |
Second Quarter |
74.57 |
59.97 |
66.55 |
Third Quarter |
69.02 |
56.23 |
60.78 |
Fourth Quarter |
68.44 |
57.69 |
66.00 |
2020 |
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|
First Quarter |
68.91 |
22.74 |
22.74 |
Second Quarter |
43.08 |
19.33 |
41.15 |
Third Quarter |
45.86 |
39.61 |
40.95 |
Fourth Quarter |
52.26 |
37.46 |
51.80 |
2021 |
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|
First Quarter |
69.63 |
51.09 |
63.54 |
Second Quarter |
76.18 |
62.15 |
75.13 |
Third Quarter |
79.53 |
65.18 |
78.52 |
Fourth Quarter |
86.40 |
68.87 |
77.78 |
2022 |
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First Quarter |
127.98 |
78.98 |
107.91 |
Second Quarter |
123.58 |
98.48 |
114.81 |
Third Quarter |
113.50 |
84.06 |
87.96 |
Fourth Quarter |
98.57 |
76.10 |
85.91 |
2023 |
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|
Brent Crude Oil Futures Contracts |
High
($) |
Low
($) |
Period
End ($) |
First Quarter |
88.19 |
72.97 |
79.77 |
Second Quarter (through June 21, 2023) |
87.33 |
71.84 |
77.12 |
Brent Crude
Oil Futures Contracts
Daily Closing
Prices
January
1, 2018 to June 21, 2023
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Use of Proceeds and Hedging |
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The proceeds from the sale of the Securities will be used by us for general corporate purposes. We will receive, in aggregate, $1,000 per Security issued, because, when we enter into hedging transactions in order to meet our obligations under the Securities, our hedging counterparty will reimburse the cost of the Agent’s commissions. The costs of the Securities borne by you and described beginning on PS-2 above comprise the Agent’s commissions and the cost of issuing, structuring and hedging the Securities. See also “Use of Proceeds” in the accompanying prospectus. |
On or prior to June 22, 2023, we expect
to hedge our anticipated exposure in connection with the Securities by entering into hedging transactions with our affiliates and/or third
party dealers. We expect our hedging counterparties to take positions in futures contracts on the Underlying Commodity or positions in
any other available securities or instruments that they may wish to use in connection with such hedging. Such purchase activity could
potentially increase the Initial Commodity Price, and, as a result, increase (i) the price at or above which the Underlying Commodity
must be on any of the three Review Dates in order for the Securities to be automatically called prior to maturity for the applicable Call
Price and (ii) the Downside Threshold Level, which is the price at or above which the Underlying Commodity must close on the Final Determination
Date so that investors do not suffer a significant loss on their initial investment in the Securities. These entities may be unwinding
or adjusting hedge positions during the term of the Securities, and the hedging strategy may involve greater and more frequent dynamic
adjustments to the hedge as the Final Determination Date approaches. Additionally, our hedging activities, as well as our other trading
activities, during the term of the Securities could
potentially affect the value of the
Underlying Commodity, including on the Review Dates or the Final Determination Date, and, accordingly, whether the Securities are called
early, or the payment you will receive at maturity, if any.
Supplemental Information Concerning
Plan of Distribution; Conflicts of Interest |
|
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and their affiliates will act as placement agents for the Securities and will receive a fee from us or one of our affiliates that will not exceed $10 per $1,000 stated principal amount of Securities, but will forgo any fees for sales to certain fiduciary accounts. |
MS & Co. is an affiliate of MSFL
and a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, and it and other affiliates of ours expect to make a profit by selling, structuring and,
when applicable, hedging the Securities. When MS & Co. prices this offering of Securities, it will determine the economic terms of
the Securities such that for each Security the estimated value on the Pricing Date will be no lower than the minimum level described in
“Summary of Pricing Supplement” beginning on PS-2.
MS & Co. will conduct this offering
in compliance with the requirements of FINRA Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., which is commonly referred
to as FINRA, regarding a FINRA member firm’s distribution of the Securities of an affiliate and related conflicts of interest. MS
& Co. or any of our other affiliates may not make sales in this offering to any discretionary account.
In order to facilitate the offering
of the Securities, the Agent may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Securities. Specifically,
the Agent may sell more Securities than it is obligated to purchase in connection with the offering, creating a naked short position in
the Securities for its own account. The Agent must close out any naked short position by purchasing the Securities in the open market
after the offering. A naked short position in the Securities is more likely to be created if the Agent is concerned that there may be
downward pressure on the price of the Securities in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in
the offering. As an additional means of facilitating the offering, the Agent may bid for, and purchase, the Securities or futures contracts
or other instruments on the Underlying Commodity in the open market to stabilize the price of the Securities. Any of these activities
may raise or maintain the market price of the Securities above independent market prices or prevent or retard a decline in the market
price of the Securities. The Agent is not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time. An
affiliate of the Agent has entered into a hedging transaction in connection with this offering of the Securities. See “—Use
of Proceeds and Hedging” above.
United States Federal Taxation |
|
Prospective investors should note that the discussion under the section called “United States Federal Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus supplement does not apply to the |
Securities issued
under this pricing supplement and is superseded by the following discussion.
The following summary is a general discussion
of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences and certain estate tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Securities.
This discussion applies only to initial investors in the Securities who:
| · | purchase the Securities in the original offering; and |
| · | hold the Securities as capital assets within the meaning of
Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). |
This discussion does not describe all of
the tax consequences that may be relevant to a holder in light of the holder’s particular circumstances or to holders subject to
special rules, such as:
| · | certain financial institutions; |
| · | dealers and certain traders in securities or commodities; |
| · | investors holding the Securities as part of a “straddle,” wash sale, conversion transaction, integrated transaction or
constructive sale transaction; |
| · | U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
| · | partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| · | regulated investment companies; |
| · | real estate investment trusts; or |
| · | tax-exempt entities, including “individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs” as defined in Section 408 or
408A of the Code, respectively. |
If an entity that is classified as a partnership
for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Securities, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on
the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partnership holding the Securities or a partner in such
a partnership, you should consult your tax adviser as to the particular U.S. federal tax consequences of holding and disposing of the
Securities to you.
As the law applicable to the U.S. federal
income taxation of instruments such as the Securities is technical and complex, the discussion below necessarily represents only a general
summary. Moreover, the effect of any applicable state, local or non-U.S. tax laws is not discussed, nor are any alternative minimum tax
consequences or consequences resulting from the Medicare tax on investment income.
This discussion is based on the Code, administrative
pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, all as of the date hereof, changes to any of
which subsequent to the date hereof may affect the tax consequences described herein. Persons considering the purchase of
the Securities should consult their tax
advisers with regard to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations as well as any tax consequences
arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
General
There is uncertainty regarding the U.S.
federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities due to the lack of governing authority. Our counsel, Davis Polk &
Wardwell LLP, is unable to render a definitive opinion on the tax treatment of the Securities at this time as such opinion is dependent
in part upon market conditions on the pricing date. Our counsel’s opinion will therefore be provided only on the pricing date. However,
under current law, and based on current market conditions, our counsel believes that it is at least reasonable to treat each Security
as a single financial contract that is an “open transaction” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Due to the absence of statutory, judicial
or administrative authorities that directly address the treatment of the Securities or instruments that are similar to the Securities
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, no assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or a court will
agree with the tax treatment described herein. Accordingly, you should consult your tax adviser regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal
tax consequences of an investment in the Securities (including possible alternative treatments of the Securities). Unless otherwise stated,
the following discussion is based on the treatment of the Securities as described in the previous paragraph.
Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders
This section applies to you only if you
are a U.S. Holder. As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Security that is, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes:
| · | a citizen or individual resident of the United States; |
| · | a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state
thereof or the District of Columbia; or |
| · | an estate or trust the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source. |
Tax Treatment of the Securities
Assuming the treatment of the Securities
as set forth above is respected, the following U.S. federal income tax consequences should result.
Tax Treatment Prior to Settlement.
A U.S. Holder should not be required to recognize taxable income over the term of the Securities prior to settlement, other than pursuant
to a sale or exchange as described below.
Tax Basis. A U.S. Holder’s
tax basis in the Securities should equal the amount paid by the U.S. Holder to acquire the Securities.
Sale, Exchange or Settlement of the
Securities. Upon a sale, exchange or settlement of the Securities, a U.S. Holder should recognize gain or loss equal to the difference
between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or settlement and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Securities sold, exchanged
or settled. Any gain or loss recognized upon the sale, exchange or settlement of the Securities should be long-term capital gain or loss
if the U.S. Holder has held the Securities for more than one year at such time, and short-term capital gain or loss otherwise.
Possible Alternative Tax Treatments
of an Investment in the Securities
Due to the absence of authorities that
directly address the proper tax treatment of the Securities, no assurance can be given that the IRS will accept, or that a court will
uphold, the treatment described above. There is a risk that the IRS may seek to treat all or a portion of the gain on the Securities as
ordinary income. For example, there is a risk (which, depending on the market conditions on the pricing date, could be substantial) the
IRS could seek to analyze the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning the Securities under Treasury regulations governing contingent
payment debt instruments (the “Contingent Debt Regulations”). If the IRS were successful in asserting that the Contingent
Debt Regulations applied to the Securities, the timing and character of income thereon would be significantly affected. Among other things,
a U.S. Holder would be required to accrue into income original issue discount on the Securities every year at a “comparable yield”
determined at the time of their issuance, adjusted upward or downward to reflect the difference, if any, between the actual and the projected
amount of the contingent payment on the Securities. Furthermore, any gain realized by a U.S. Holder at maturity or upon a sale, exchange
or other disposition of the Securities would generally be treated as ordinary income, and any loss realized would be treated as ordinary
loss to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s prior accruals of original issue discount and as capital loss thereafter. The risk that
financial instruments providing for buffers, triggers or similar downside protection features, such as the Securities, would be recharacterized
as debt is greater than the risk of recharacterization for comparable financial instruments that do not have such features.
Other alternative federal income tax treatments
of the Securities are also possible, which if applied could significantly affect the timing and character of the income or loss with respect
to the Securities. In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income
tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. The notice focuses in particular on whether to require
holders of these instruments to accrue income over the
term of their investment. It also asks
for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; whether short-term
instruments should be subject to any such accrual regime; the relevance of factors such as the exchange-traded status of the instruments
and the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; and whether these instruments are or should be subject
to the “constructive ownership” rule, which very generally can operate to recharacterize certain long-term capital gain as
ordinary income and impose an interest charge. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates,
any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax
consequences of an investment in the Securities, possibly with retroactive effect. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding
the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities, including possible alternative treatments and issues presented
by this notice.
Backup Withholding and Information
Reporting
Backup withholding may apply in respect
of the payment on the Securities at maturity and the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition of the Securities,
unless a U.S. Holder provides proof of an applicable exemption or a correct taxpayer identification number and otherwise complies with
applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. The amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules are not an additional
tax and may be refunded, or credited against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information
is timely furnished to the IRS. In addition, information returns may be filed with the IRS in connection with the payment on the Securities
and the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition of the Securities, unless the U.S. Holder provides proof of an
applicable exemption from the information reporting rules.
Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders
This section applies to you only if you
are a Non-U.S. Holder. As used herein, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Security that is, for U.S.
federal income tax purposes:
| · | an individual who is classified as a nonresident alien; |
| · | a foreign corporation; or |
| · | a foreign estate or trust. |
The term “Non-U.S. Holder”
does not include any of the following holders:
| · | a holder who is an individual present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and who is not
otherwise a resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| · | certain former citizens or residents of the United States; or |
| · | a holder for whom income or gain in respect of the Securities is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in
the United States. |
Such holders should consult their tax advisers
regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.
Tax Treatment upon Sale, Exchange
or Settlement of the Securities
In general. Assuming the treatment
of the Securities as set forth above is respected, and subject to the discussion below concerning backup withholding, a Non-U.S. Holder
of the Securities generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of amounts paid to the Non-U.S. Holder.
Subject to the discussion below regarding
FATCA, if all or any portion of a Security were recharacterized as a debt instrument, any payment made to a Non-U.S. Holder with respect
to the Securities would not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax, provided that:
| · | the Non-U.S. Holder does not own, directly or by attribution, ten percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes
of Morgan Stanley stock entitled to vote; |
| · | the Non-U.S. Holder is not a controlled foreign corporation related, directly or indirectly, to Morgan Stanley through stock ownership; |
| · | the Non-U.S. Holder is not a bank receiving interest under Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, and |
| · | the certification requirement described below has been fulfilled with respect to the beneficial owner. |
Certification Requirement. The certification
requirement referred to in the preceding paragraph will be fulfilled if the beneficial owner of a Security (or a financial institution
holding a Security on behalf of the beneficial owner) furnishes to the applicable withholding agent an IRS Form W-8BEN (or other appropriate
form) on which the beneficial owner certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a U.S. person.
In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and
the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and
similar instruments. Among the issues addressed in the notice is the degree, if any, to which any income with respect to instruments such
as the Securities should be subject to U.S. withholding tax. It is possible that any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated
after consideration of this issue could materially and adversely affect the withholding tax consequences of ownership and disposition
of the Securities, possibly on a retroactive basis. Non-U.S. Holders should note that
we currently do not intend to withhold
on any payment made with respect to the Securities to Non-U.S. Holders (subject to compliance by such holders with the certification requirement
described above and to the discussion below regarding FATCA). However, in the event of a change of law or any formal or informal guidance
by the IRS, the U.S. Treasury Department or Congress, we may decide to withhold on payments made with respect to the Securities to Non-U.S.
Holders, and we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. Accordingly, Non-U.S. Holders should
consult their tax advisers regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities, including
the possible implications of the notice referred to above.
Section 871(m) Withholding Tax on
Dividend Equivalents
Section 871(m) of the Code and Treasury
regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% (or a lower applicable treaty rate) withholding
tax on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities
or indices that include U.S. equities (each, an “Underlying Security”). Because the Securities reference a commodity that
is not treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as an Underlying Security, payment on the Securities to Non-U.S. Holders should not
be subject to Section 871(m).
U.S. Federal Estate Tax
Individual Non-U.S. Holders and entities
the property of which is potentially includible in such an individual’s gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes (for example,
a trust funded by such an individual and with respect to which the individual has retained certain interests or powers), should note that,
absent an applicable treaty exemption, the Securities may be treated as U.S. situs property subject to U.S. federal estate tax. Prospective
investors that are non-U.S. individuals, or are entities of the type described above, should consult their tax advisers regarding the
U.S. federal estate tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.
Backup Withholding and Information
Reporting
Information returns may be filed with the
IRS in connection with the payment on the Securities at maturity as well as in connection with the payment of proceeds from a sale, exchange
or other disposition of the Securities. A Non-U.S. Holder may be subject to backup withholding in respect of amounts paid to the Non-U.S.
Holder, unless such Non-U.S. Holder complies with certification procedures to establish that it is not a U.S. person for U.S. federal
income tax purposes or otherwise establishes an exemption. Compliance with the certification procedures described above under “―Tax
Treatment upon Sale, Exchange or Settlement of the Securities ― Certification Requirement” will satisfy the certification
requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding as well. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Non-U.S. Holder will
be allowed as a credit against the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the Non-U.S.
Holder to a refund, provided that the required
information is timely furnished to the IRS.
FATCA
Legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA”
generally imposes a withholding tax of 30% on payments to certain non-U.S. entities (including financial intermediaries) with respect
to certain financial instruments, unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements have been satisfied. An intergovernmental
agreement between the United States and the non-U.S. entity’s jurisdiction may modify these requirements. FATCA generally applies
to certain financial instruments that are treated as paying U.S.-source interest or other U.S.-source “fixed or determinable annual
or periodical” income (“FDAP income”). If the Securities were recharacterized as debt instruments, FATCA would apply
to any payment of amounts treated as interest and to payments of gross proceeds of the disposition (including upon retirement) of the
Securities. However, under proposed regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are permitted to rely on them pending
finalization), no withholding will apply on payments of gross proceeds (other than amounts treated as FDAP income). If withholding were
to apply to the Securities, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts withheld. Both U.S. and Non-U.S.
Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the potential application of FATCA to the Securities.
The discussion
in the preceding paragraphs, insofar as it purports to describe provisions of U.S. federal income tax laws or legal conclusions with respect
thereto, constitutes the full opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of
an investment in the Securities.