This section describes the material risks relating to the notes. For further discussion of these and other risks, you should read the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product supplement and prospectus. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers in connection with your investment in the notes.
Risks Relating to an Investment in the Notes
■You may not receive any positive return on the notes. The notes provide for a maturity payment amount that may be greater than or equal to the principal amount of the notes, depending on the performance of the underlying. As the notes do not pay any interest, if the underlying does not appreciate, you will not receive any positive return on your investment in the notes. Although the notes provide for the repayment of the principal amount at maturity (subject to our credit risk), regardless of the performance of the underlying, you may nevertheless suffer a loss on your investment in the notes, in real value terms, if you do not receive a positive return on the notes. This is because inflation may cause the real value of the principal amount to be less at maturity than it is at the time you invest, and because an investment in the notes represents a forgone opportunity to invest in an alternative asset that does generate a positive return. The potential loss in real value terms will be greater the longer the term of the notes.
Even if you do receive a positive return on your investment in the notes, there can be no assurance that your total return at maturity on the notes will compensate you for the effects of inflation, and your yield on the notes may be less than the yield you would earn if you bought a traditional interest-bearing debt security from us or another issuer with a similar credit rating with the same stated maturity date. You should carefully consider whether an investment that may not provide for any positive return, or may provide a return that is lower than the return on conventional debt securities, is appropriate for you.
■The appreciation potential of the notes is limited by the maximum return. The appreciation potential of the notes is limited by the maximum return. Although the participation rate provides 100% exposure to any increase in the ending price over the starting price, because any positive return on the notes will be limited to the maximum return of at least 79.50% of the principal amount for the notes, any increase in the ending price over the starting price by more than at least 79.50% of the starting price, depending on the actual maximum return, will not further increase the return on the notes.
■The market price will be influenced by many unpredictable factors. Several factors, many of which are beyond our control, will influence the value of the notes in the secondary market and the price at which MS & Co. or any other dealer may be willing to purchase or sell the notes in the secondary market. We expect that generally the level of interest rates available in the market and the price of the underlying on any day, including in relation to the starting price, will affect the value of the notes more than any other factors. Other factors that may influence the value of the notes include:
othe trading price and volatility (frequency and magnitude of changes in value) of the underlying,
ogeopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the underlying or the securities markets generally and which may affect the price of the underlying,
odividend rates on the underlying or the stocks composing the fund underlying index,
othe time remaining until the notes mature,
ointerest and yield rates in the market,
othe availability of comparable instruments,
othe occurrence of certain events affecting the underlying that may or may not require an adjustment to the adjustment factor, and
oany actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings or credit spreads.
Generally, the longer the time remaining to maturity, the more the market price of the notes will be affected by the other factors described above. Some or all of these factors will influence the price that you will receive if you sell your notes prior to maturity.
You cannot predict the future performance of the underlying based on its historical performance. See “iShares® U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF Overview” below.
■The notes are subject to our credit risk, and any actual or anticipated changes to our credit ratings or credit spreads may adversely affect the market value of the notes. You are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes at maturity, and therefore you are subject to our credit risk. If we default on our obligations under the notes, your investment would be at risk and you could lose some or all of your investment. As a result, the market value of the notes prior to maturity will be affected by changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Any actual or anticipated decline in our credit ratings or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking our credit risk is likely to adversely affect the market value of the notes.