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Form 424B2 GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC

July 29, 2021 5:10 PM EDT

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Statement No. 333-253421

 

GS Finance Corp.

$427,000

Market-Linked Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5%

USD Excess Return Index due 2028

guaranteed by

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

The notes do not bear interest.  The amount that you will be paid on your notes on the stated maturity date (July 31, 2028) is based on the performance of the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index (Excess Return index) as measured from the trade date (July 27, 2021) to and including the determination date (July 26, 2028).

The Excess Return index measures the return on a hypothetical investment in the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index (Risk Control index or the index) borrowed at the overnight US dollar LIBOR rate (LIBOR). Any percentage increase in the Risk Control index will be offset by LIBOR. LIBOR is being modified. See page S-22.

The Risk Control index provides exposure to the S&P 500® Total Return Index (Total Return index), subject to a daily risk control strategy that increases or decreases exposure to the Total Return index to target 5% volatility of the Risk Control index, based on the greater of short-term realized volatility and long-term realized volatility of the Total Return index. The methodology used measures variations in the historical daily returns of the Total Return index and places greater significance on the returns of days that are closer to the calculation date such that days closer to the calculation date have the majority of the impact on the volatility calculation. See page S-29.

If realized volatility is less than 5%, the Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index will be greater than 100% (up to 150%) by hypothetically borrowing cash at LIBOR. If realized volatility is greater than 5%, the Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index will be less than 100% (and could be 0%) by reallocating exposure from the Total Return index to a hypothetical cash position that accrues interest at LIBOR. Typically, a portion of the Risk Control index’s exposure has been to the hypothetical cash position.

The Risk Control index may decrease significantly more or increase significantly less than the Total Return index and there is no guarantee that the Risk Control index will achieve the 5% volatility target. Further, if the Excess Return index fails to outperform LIBOR, the return on your investment will be zero.

If the final Excess Return index level (the closing level of the Excess Return index on the determination date) is greater than the initial Excess Return index level of 162.16 (the closing level of the Excess Return index on the trade date), then the return on the notes will be positive and equal the product of the index return (the percentage increase or decrease in the final Excess Return index level from the initial Excess Return index level), multiplied by 1.105.  If the final Excess Return index level is less than the initial Excess Return index level, you will receive the face amount of your notes at maturity.

At maturity, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes you will receive an amount in cash equal to:

if the index return is positive (the final Excess Return index level is greater than the initial Excess Return index level), the sum of (a) $1,000 plus (b) the product of the index return times $1,000, times 1.105; or

if the index return is zero or negative (the final Excess Return index level is equal to or less than the initial Excess Return index level), $1,000.

You should read the disclosure herein to better understand the terms and risks of your investment, including the credit risk of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. See page S-7.

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date is equal to approximately $955 per $1,000 face amount. For a discussion of the estimated value and the price at which Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC would initially buy or sell your notes, if it makes a market in the notes, see the following page.

 

Original issue date:

July 30, 2021

Original issue price:

100.00% of the face amount

Underwriting discount:

  3.5% of the face amount

Net proceeds to issuer:

  96.5% of the face amount

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

UBS Financial Services Inc.

Selling Agent

Prospectus Supplement No. 3,245 dated July 27, 2021.


 


 

The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes after the date of this prospectus supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.

 

GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the offered notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless GS Finance Corp. or its agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.

 

Estimated Value of Your Notes

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) and taking into account our credit spreads) is equal to approximately $955 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price.  The value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise is equal to approximately the estimated value of your notes at the time of pricing, plus an additional amount (initially equal to $40 per $1,000 face amount).

Prior to July 27, 2022, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) will equal approximately the sum of (a) the then-current estimated value of your notes (as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models) plus (b) any remaining additional amount (the additional amount will decline to zero on a straight-line basis over the period from the time of pricing through July 26, 2022). On and after July 27, 2022, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market) will equal approximately the then-current estimated value of your notes determined by reference to such pricing models.

 

About Your Prospectus

The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series F program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This prospectus includes this prospectus supplement and the accompanying documents listed below. This prospectus supplement constitutes a supplement to the documents listed below and should be read in conjunction with such documents:

Prospectus supplement dated March 22, 2021

Prospectus dated March 22, 2021

The information in this prospectus supplement supersedes any conflicting information in the documents listed above. In addition, some of the terms or features described in the listed documents may not apply to your notes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

SUMMARY INFORMATION

 

 

We refer to the notes we are offering by this prospectus supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Each of the offered notes has the terms described below and under “Specific Terms of Your Notes” on page S-18. Please note that in this prospectus supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated March 22, 2021, and  references to the “accompanying prospectus supplement” mean the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated March 22, 2021, for Medium-Term Notes, Series F, in each case of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. References to the “indenture” in this prospectus supplement mean the senior debt indenture, dated as of October 10, 2008, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2015, each among us, as issuer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. This indenture, as so supplemented and as further supplemented thereafter, is referred to as the “GSFC 2008 indenture” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

 

Key Terms

 

Issuer:  GS Finance Corp.

Guarantor:  The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Index:  the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index (Bloomberg symbol, “SPXT5UE Index”), or any successor index, as it may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as provided herein

Specified currency:  U.S. dollars (“$”)

Face amount:  each note will have a face amount of $1,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; $427,000 in the aggregate for all the offered notes; the aggregate face amount of the offered notes may be increased if the issuer, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount of the offered notes on a date subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement

Denominations: $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof

Supplemental plan of distribution:  GS Finance Corp. will sell to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”), and GS&Co. will purchase from GS Finance Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this prospectus supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, and to UBS Financial Services Inc. at such price less a concession not in excess of 3.5% of the face amount. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” on page S-41

Cash settlement amount:  on the stated maturity date, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes you will receive an amount in cash equal to:

if the final index level is greater than the initial index level, the sum of (a) $1,000 plus (b) the product of the index return times $1,000 times the upside gearing; or

if the final index level is equal to or less than the initial index level, $1,000.

Purchase at amount other than face amount:  the amount we will pay you at the stated maturity date for your notes will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for your notes, so if you acquire notes at a premium (or discount) to face amount and hold them to the stated maturity date, it could affect your investment in a number of ways. The return on your investment in such notes will be lower (or higher) than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will be Negatively Affected

Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences:  the notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to the special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under this treatment, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that if you are a U.S. individual or taxable entity, you generally should be required to pay taxes on ordinary income from the notes over their term based on the comparable yield for the notes. In addition, any gain you may recognize on the sale, exchange or maturity of the notes will be taxed as ordinary interest income.

Trade date:  July 27, 2021

Original issue date (settlement date): July 30, 2021

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Initial index level:  162.16

Final index level:  the closing level of the index on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-19 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” on page S-19

Closing level: as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Closing Level” on page S-21

Index return:  the quotient of (i) the final index level minus the initial index level divided by (ii) the initial index level, expressed as a percentage

Upside gearing: 1.105

Stated maturity date:  July 31, 2028, subject to adjustment as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Stated Maturity Date” on page S-19

Determination date:  July 26, 2028, subject to adjustment as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Determination Date” on page S-19

No interest:  the notes do not bear interest

No redemption:  the notes will not be subject to redemption right or price dependent redemption right

No listing:  the notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or interdealer market quotation system

Calculation agent:  GS&Co.

Business day:  as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Business Day” on page S-21

Trading day:  as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Trading Day” on page S-18.

CUSIP no.:  40057HX39

ISIN no.:  US40057HX397

FDIC:  the notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank

 


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HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES

(Hypothetical terms only. Actual terms may vary.)

The following examples are provided for purposes of illustration only.  They should not be taken as an indication or prediction of future investment results and are intended merely to illustrate the impact that the various hypothetical final index levels on the determination date could have on the cash settlement amount at maturity assuming all other variables remain constant.

The examples below are based on a range of final index levels that are entirely hypothetical; no one can predict what the index level will be on any day throughout the life of your notes, and no one can predict what the final index level will be on the determination date. The index has been highly volatile in the past — meaning that the index level has changed considerably in relatively short periods — and its performance cannot be predicted for any future period.

The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming that they are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date.  If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to the stated maturity date, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the examples below such as interest rates, the volatility of the index, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, and the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor.  In addition, the estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by GS&Co.) is less than the original issue price of your notes.  For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes” on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement.  The information in the examples also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.

Key Terms and Assumptions

Face amount

$1,000

Upside gearing

1.105

Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs on the originally scheduled determination date

No change in or affecting any of the index stocks or the method by which the index sponsor calculates the index

Notes purchased on original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date

 

For these reasons, the actual performance of the index over the life of your notes, as well as the amount payable at maturity, may bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical index levels shown elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.  For information about the historical levels of the index during recent periods, see “The Index — Historical Closing Levels of the Index” below.  Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the levels of the index between the date of this prospectus supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.

Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes.  Because of the U.S. tax treatment applicable to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the index stocks.

The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final index levels and are expressed as percentages of the initial index level.  The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final index level, and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent). Thus, a hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.000% of the face amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final index level and the assumptions noted above.


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Hypothetical Final Index Level (as Percentage of Initial Index Level)

Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount (as Percentage of Face Amount)

150.000%

155.250%

140.000%

144.200%

130.000%

133.150%

120.000%

122.100%

110.000%

111.050%

105.000%

105.525%

100.000%

100.000%

98.000%

100.000%

95.000%

100.000%

75.000%

100.000%

50.000%

100.000%

25.000%

100.000%

0.000%

100.000%

 

If, for example, the final index level were determined to be 25.000% of the initial index level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 100.000% of the $1,000 face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes on the original issue date at the face amount and held them to the stated maturity date, you would receive no return on your investment.

If, however, the final index level were determined to be 110.000% of the initial index level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 111.050% of the face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above

The following chart also shows a graphical illustration of the hypothetical cash settlement amounts (expressed as a percentage of the face amount of your notes) that we would pay on your notes on the stated maturity date, if the final index level were any of the hypothetical levels shown on the horizontal axis. The chart shows that any hypothetical final index level of less than 100.000% (the section left of the 100.000% marker on the horizontal axis) would result in a hypothetical cash settlement amount equal to 100.000%.


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The cash settlement amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on market prices for the index stocks that may not be achieved on the determination date and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous.  The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to sell your notes, may bear little relation to the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes.  The hypothetical cash settlement amounts on notes held to the stated maturity date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes. The return on your investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be affected by the amount you pay for your notes. If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above examples. Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-10.

Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of a bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us. Therefore, the terms of the notes may be impacted by the various factors mentioned on page S- 13 in the section “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors”. The discussion in this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.


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We cannot predict the actual final index level or what the market value of your notes will be on any particular trading day, nor can we predict the relationship between the index level and the market value of your notes at any time prior to the stated maturity date.  The actual amount that you will receive at maturity and the rate of return on the offered notes will depend on the actual final index level determined by the calculation agent as described above.  Moreover, the assumptions on which the hypothetical returns are based may turn out to be inaccurate.  Consequently, the amount of cash to be paid in respect of your notes on the stated maturity date may be very different from the information reflected in the examples above.


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ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

 

 

An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus and in the accompanying prospectus supplement. You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement.  Your notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the index stocks, i.e., the stocks comprising the index to which your notes are linked. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are appropriate given your particular circumstances.

 

Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales

The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes

The original issue price for your notes exceeds the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models and taking into account our credit spreads. Such estimated value on the trade date is set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”; after the trade date, the estimated value as determined by reference to these models will be affected by changes in market conditions, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and other relevant factors.  The price at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell your notes (if GS&Co. makes a market, which it is not obligated to do), and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise, also exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models.  As agreed by GS&Co. and the distribution participants, this excess (i.e., the additional amount described under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”) will decline to zero on a straight line basis over the period from the date hereof through the applicable date set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”.  Thereafter, if GS&Co. buys or sells your notes it will do so at prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to such pricing models at that time.  The price at which GS&Co. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes.

In estimating the value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as disclosed above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”, GS&Co.’s pricing models consider certain variables, including principally our credit spreads, interest rates (forecasted, current and historical rates), volatility, price-sensitivity analysis and the time to maturity of the notes. These pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market, if any, to others may differ, perhaps materially, from the estimated value of your notes determined by reference to our models due to, among other things, any differences in pricing models or assumptions used by others. See “— The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” below.

The difference between the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date and the original issue price is a result of certain factors, including principally the underwriting discount and commissions, the expenses incurred in creating, documenting and marketing the notes, and an estimate of the difference between the amounts we pay to GS&Co. and the amounts GS&Co. pays to us in connection with your notes. We pay to GS&Co. amounts based on what we would pay to holders of a non-structured note with a similar maturity.  In return for such payment, GS&Co. pays to us the amounts we owe under your notes.

In addition to the factors discussed above, the value and quoted price of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted.  If GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the price quoted by GS&Co. would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors, including any deterioration in our creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness  or the creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. These changes may adversely affect the value of your notes, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. To the extent that GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the quoted price will reflect the estimated value determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models at that time, plus or minus its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized trades of structured notes (and subject to the declining excess amount described above).

Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions, or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount.  This commission or discount will further reduce the proceeds you would receive for your notes in a secondary market sale.

There is no assurance that GS&Co. or any other party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price and, in this regard, GS&Co. is not obligated to make a market in the notes.  See “— Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market” below.

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The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor

Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of the index, the payment of any amount due on the notes is subject to the credit risk of GS Finance Corp., as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of the notes. The notes are our unsecured obligations.  Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness.  Similarly, investors are dependent on the ability of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of the notes, to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore are also subject to its credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of its creditworthiness.  See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes, Series F Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Guarantee by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.” on page 68 of the accompanying prospectus.

The Cash Settlement Amount on Your Notes Is Not Linked to the Level of the Index at Any Time Other than the Determination Date

The final index level will be based on the closing level of the index on the determination date (subject to adjustment as described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement). Therefore, if the closing level of the index dropped precipitously on the determination date, the cash settlement amount for your notes may be significantly less than it would have been had the cash settlement amount been linked to the closing level of the index prior to such drop in the level of the index.  Although the actual level of the index on the stated maturity date or at other times during the life of your notes may be higher than the final index level, you will not benefit from the closing level of the index at any time other than on the determination date.

Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest

You will not receive any interest payments on your notes. As a result, even if the cash settlement amount payable for each of your notes on the stated maturity date exceeds the face amount of your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes may be less than you would have earned by investing in a non-indexed debt security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing market rate.

Past Index Performance is No Guide to Future Performance

The actual performance of the index over the life of the notes, as well as the amount payable at maturity, may bear little relation to the historical closing level of the index or to the hypothetical return examples set forth elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.  We cannot predict the future performance of the index.

We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price

At our sole option, we may decide to sell an additional aggregate face amount of the notes subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement. The issue price of the notes in the subsequent sale may differ substantially (higher or lower) from the original issue price you paid as provided on the cover of this prospectus supplement.

If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will be Negatively Affected

The return on your notes will be based on the index return, which is the percentage increase or decrease in the final index level on the determination date from the initial index level.  If the final index level is less than the initial index level, you will receive the face amount of your notes.  The cash settlement amount you will be paid for your notes on the stated maturity date will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for the notes.  If you purchase notes at a price that differs from the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount.  If you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount and hold them to the stated maturity date the return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount to face amount.

The Return on Your Notes Will Not Reflect Any Dividends Paid on the Index Stocks

The index sponsor calculates the level of the index by reference to the prices of the index stocks, without taking account of the value of dividends paid on those index stocks.  Therefore, the return on your notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the index stocks included in the index and received the dividends paid on those index stocks.  You will not receive any dividends that may be paid on any of the index stocks by the index stock issuers.  See “— You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Index Stock” below for additional information.

 

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The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors

When we refer to the market value of your notes, we mean the value that you could receive for your notes if you chose and are able to sell them in the open market before the stated maturity date.  A number of factors, many of which are beyond our control and impact the value of bonds and options generally, will influence the market value of your notes, including:

the level of the index;

the volatility — i.e., the frequency and magnitude of changes — in the level of the index;

the dividend rates of the index stocks;

economic, financial, regulatory, political, military, public health and other events that affect stock markets generally and the index stocks, and which may affect the level of the index;

other interest rates and yield rates in the market;

the time remaining until your notes mature; and

our creditworthiness and the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., whether actual or perceived, including actual or anticipated upgrades or downgrades in our credit ratings or the credit ratings of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or changes in other credit measures.

Without limiting the foregoing, the market value of your notes may be negatively impacted by increasing interest rates. Such adverse impact of increasing interest rates could be significantly enhanced in notes with longer-dated maturities, the market values of which are generally more sensitive to increasing interest rates.

These factors will influence the price you will receive if you sell your notes before maturity, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market-making transaction. If you sell your notes before maturity, you may receive less than the face amount of your notes.

You cannot predict the future levels of the index based on its historical fluctuations. The actual level of the index over the life of the notes may bear little or no relation to the historical closing level of the index or to the hypothetical examples shown elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market

Your notes will not be listed or displayed on any securities exchange or included in any interdealer market quotation system, and there may be little or no secondary market for your notes. Even if a secondary market for your notes develops, it may not provide significant liquidity and we expect that transaction costs in any secondary market would be high. As a result, the difference between bid and asked prices for your notes in any secondary market could be substantial.

If the Level of the Index Changes, the Market Value of Your Notes May Not Change in the Same Manner

Your notes may trade quite differently from the performance of the index. Changes in the level of the index may not result in a comparable change in the market value of your notes.  Even if the level of the index increases above the initial index level during the life of the notes, the market value of your notes may not increase by the same amount. We discuss some of the reasons for this disparity under “— The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” above.

You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Index Stock

Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any of the index stocks.  Neither you nor any other holder or owner of your notes will have any rights with respect to the index stocks, including any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, any rights to make a claim against the index stocks or any other rights of a holder of the index stocks.  Your notes will be paid in cash and you will have no right to receive delivery of any index stocks.

As Calculation Agent, GS&Co. Will Have the Authority to Make Determinations that Could Affect the Value of Your Notes, When Your Notes Mature and the Amount You Receive at Maturity

As calculation agent for your notes, GS&Co. will have discretion in making various determinations that affect your notes, including determining the final index level on the determination date, which we will use to determine the amount we must pay on the stated maturity date; determining whether to postpone the determination date because of a market disruption event or a non-trading day; the stated maturity date; the default amount and any amount payable on your notes.  See “Specific Terms of Your Notes” below.  The calculation agent also has discretion in making certain adjustments relating to a discontinuation or modification of the index.  See “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below.  The exercise of this discretion by GS&Co. could adversely affect the value of your notes and may present

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GS&Co. with a conflict of interest.  We may change the calculation agent at any time without notice and GS&Co. may resign as calculation agent at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to us.

The Calculation Agent Can Postpone the Determination Date If a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day Occurs or is Continuing

If the calculation agent determines that, on the date that would otherwise be the determination date, a market disruption event has occurred or is continuing or if such date is not a trading day, the determination date will be postponed until the first following trading day on which no market disruption event occurs or is continuing.  In no event, however, will such date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled stated maturity date or, if the originally scheduled stated maturity date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled stated maturity date.  Moreover, if the determination date is postponed to the last possible day, but a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on that day or that day is not a trading day, that day will nevertheless be the determination date.

If the calculation agent determines that the closing level of the index that must be used to determine the cash settlement amount is not available on the determination date, either because of a market disruption event, a non-trading day or for any other reason (other than as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on the Stated Maturity Date — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below), the calculation agent will nevertheless determine the final index level based on its assessment, made in its sole discretion, of the level of the index at the applicable time on that day.

Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest

Hedging Activities by Goldman Sachs or Our Distributors May Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes and Cause Our Interests and Those of Our Clients and Counterparties to be Contrary to Those of Investors in the Notes

Goldman Sachs has hedged or expects to hedge our obligations under the notes by purchasing listed or over-the-counter options, futures and/or other instruments linked to the index or the index stocks.  Goldman Sachs also expects to adjust the hedge by, among other things, purchasing or selling any of the foregoing, and perhaps other instruments linked to the index or the index stocks, at any time and from time to time, and to unwind the hedge by selling any of the foregoing on or before the determination date for your notes.  Alternatively, Goldman Sachs may hedge all or part of our obligations under the notes with unaffiliated distributors of the notes which we expect will undertake similar market activity.   Goldman Sachs may also enter into, adjust and unwind hedging transactions relating to other index-linked notes whose returns are linked to changes in the level of the index or the index stocks, as applicable.

In addition to entering into such transactions itself, or distributors entering into such transactions, Goldman Sachs may structure such transactions for its clients or counterparties, or otherwise advise or assist clients or counterparties in entering into such transactions.  These activities may be undertaken to achieve a variety of objectives, including:  permitting other purchasers of the notes or other securities to hedge their investment in whole or in part; facilitating transactions for other clients or counterparties that may have business objectives or investment strategies that are inconsistent with or contrary to those of investors in the notes; hedging the exposure of Goldman Sachs to the notes including any interest in the notes that it reacquires or retains as part of the offering process, through its market-making activities or otherwise; enabling Goldman Sachs to comply with its internal risk limits or otherwise manage firmwide, business unit or product risk; and/or enabling Goldman Sachs to take directional views as to relevant markets on behalf of itself or its clients or counterparties that are inconsistent with or contrary to the views and objectives of the investors in the notes.

Any of these hedging or other activities may adversely affect the level of the index — directly or indirectly by affecting the price of the index stocks — and therefore the market value of your notes and the amount we will pay on your notes at maturity.  In addition, you should expect that these transactions will cause Goldman Sachs or its clients, counterparties or distributors to have economic interests and incentives that do not align with, and that may be directly contrary to, those of an investor in the notes.  Neither Goldman Sachs nor any distributor will have any obligation to take, refrain from taking or cease taking any action with respect to these transactions based on the potential effect on an investor in the notes, and may receive substantial returns on hedging or other activities while the value of your notes declines.  In addition, if the distributor from which you purchase notes is to conduct hedging activities in connection with the notes, that distributor may otherwise profit in connection with such hedging activities and such profit, if any, will be in addition to the compensation that the distributor receives for the sale of the notes to you.  You should be aware that the potential to earn fees in connection with hedging activities may create a further incentive for the distributor to sell the notes to you in addition to the compensation they would receive for the sale of the notes.


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Goldman Sachs’ Trading and Investment Activities for its Own Account or for its Clients, Could Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals.  As such, it acts as an investor, investment banker, research provider, investment manager, investment advisor, market maker, trader, prime broker and lender.  In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs purchases, sells or holds a broad array of investments, actively trades securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products for its own account or for the accounts of its customers, and will have other direct or indirect interests, in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equity, bank loan and other markets.  Any of Goldman Sachs’ financial market activities may, individually or in the aggregate, have an adverse effect on the market for your notes, and you should expect that the interests of Goldman Sachs or its clients or counterparties will at times be adverse to those of investors in the notes.

Goldman Sachs regularly offers a wide array of securities, financial instruments and other products into the marketplace, including existing or new products that are similar to your notes, or similar or linked to the index or index stocks.  Investors in the notes should expect that Goldman Sachs will offer securities, financial instruments, and other products that will compete with the notes for liquidity, research coverage or otherwise.

Goldman Sachs’ Market-Making Activities Could Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

Goldman Sachs actively makes markets in and trades financial instruments for its own account and for the accounts of customers.  These financial instruments include debt and equity securities, currencies, commodities, bank loans, indices, baskets and other products.  Goldman Sachs’ activities include, among other things, executing large block trades and taking long and short positions directly and indirectly, through derivative instruments or otherwise.  The securities and instruments in which Goldman Sachs takes positions, or expects to take positions, include securities and instruments of the index or index stocks, securities and instruments similar to or linked to the foregoing or the currencies in which they are denominated.  Market making is an activity where Goldman Sachs buys and sells on behalf of customers, or for its own account, to satisfy the expected demand of customers.  By its nature, market making involves facilitating transactions among market participants that have differing views of securities and instruments.  As a result, you should expect that Goldman Sachs will take positions that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the investment objectives of investors in the notes.

If Goldman Sachs becomes a holder of any securities of the index or index stocks in its capacity as a market-maker or otherwise, any actions that it takes in its capacity as securityholder, including voting or provision of consents, will not necessarily be aligned with, and may be inconsistent with, the interests of investors in the notes.

You Should Expect That Goldman Sachs Personnel Will Take Research Positions, or Otherwise Make Recommendations, Provide Investment Advice or Market Color or Encourage Trading Strategies That Might Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

Goldman Sachs and its personnel, including its sales and trading, investment research and investment management personnel, regularly make investment recommendations, provide market color or trading ideas, or publish or express independent views in respect of a wide range of markets, issuers, securities and instruments.  They regularly implement, or recommend to clients that they implement, various investment strategies relating to these markets, issuers, securities and instruments.  These strategies include, for example, buying or selling credit protection against a default or other event involving an issuer or financial instrument.  Any of these recommendations and views may be negative with respect to the index or index stocks or other securities or instruments similar to or linked to the foregoing or result in trading strategies that have a negative impact on the market for any such securities or instruments, particularly in illiquid markets.  In addition, you should expect that personnel in the trading and investing businesses of Goldman Sachs will have or develop independent views of the index or index stocks, the relevant industry or other market trends, which may not be aligned with the views and objectives of investors in the notes.

Goldman Sachs Regularly Provides Services to, or Otherwise Has Business Relationships with, a Broad Client Base, Which May Include the Sponsor of the Index or the Issuers of the Index Stocks or Other Entities That Are Involved in the Transaction

Goldman Sachs regularly provides financial advisory, investment advisory and transactional services to a substantial and diversified client base, and you should assume that Goldman Sachs will, at present or in the future, provide such services or otherwise engage in transactions with, among others, the sponsor of the index or the issuers of the index stocks, or transact in securities or instruments or with parties that are directly or indirectly related to the foregoing.  These services could include making loans to or equity investments in those companies, providing financial advisory or other investment banking services, or issuing research reports.  You should expect that Goldman Sachs, in providing such services, engaging in such transactions, or acting for its own account, may take actions that have direct or indirect effects on the

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index or index stocks, as applicable, and that such actions could be adverse to the interests of investors in the notes.  In addition, in connection with these activities, certain Goldman Sachs personnel may have access to confidential material non-public information about these parties that would not be disclosed to Goldman Sachs employees that were not working on such transactions as Goldman Sachs has established internal information barriers that are designed to preserve the confidentiality of non-public information.  Therefore, any such confidential material non-public information would not be shared with Goldman Sachs employees involved in structuring, selling or making markets in the notes or with investors in the notes.

In this offering, as well as in all other circumstances in which Goldman Sachs receives any fees or other compensation in any form relating to services provided to or transactions with any other party, no accounting, offset or payment in respect of the notes will be required or made; Goldman Sachs will be entitled to retain all such fees and other amounts, and no fees or other compensation payable by any party or indirectly by holders of the notes will be reduced by reason of receipt by Goldman Sachs of any such other fees or other amounts.

The Offering of the Notes May Reduce an Existing Exposure of Goldman Sachs or Facilitate a Transaction or Position That Serves the Objectives of Goldman Sachs or Other Parties

A completed offering may reduce Goldman Sachs’ existing exposure to the index or index stocks, securities and instruments similar to or linked to the foregoing or the currencies in which they are denominated, including exposure gained through hedging transactions in anticipation of this offering.  An offering of notes will effectively transfer a portion of Goldman Sachs’ exposure (and indirectly transfer the exposure of Goldman Sachs’ hedging or other counterparties) to investors in the notes.

The terms of the offering (including the selection of the index or index stocks, and the establishment of other transaction terms) may have been selected in order to serve the investment or other objectives of Goldman Sachs or another client or counterparty of Goldman Sachs.  In such a case, Goldman Sachs would typically receive the input of other parties that are involved in or otherwise have an interest in the offering, transactions hedged by the offering, or related transactions.  The incentives of these other parties would normally differ from and in many cases be contrary to those of investors in the notes.

Other Investors in the Notes May Not Have the Same Interests as You

Other investors in the notes are not required to take into account the interests of any other investor in exercising remedies or voting or other rights in their capacity as security holders or in making requests or recommendations to Goldman Sachs as to the establishment of other transaction terms. The interests of other investors may, in some circumstances, be adverse to your interests. For example, certain investors may take short positions (directly or indirectly through derivative transactions) on assets that are the same or similar to your notes, index, index stocks or other similar securities, which may adversely impact the market for or value of your notes.

Additional Risks Related to the Index

Notwithstanding That the Title of the Index Includes the Phrase “Risk Control,” the Index May Decrease Significantly More or Increase Significantly Less Than the Total Return Index

The index, through the Risk Control index, is intended to provide investors with exposure to the Total Return index subject to a risk control strategy that dynamically increases or decreases the exposure to the Total Return index in an attempt to achieve a 5% volatility target. The Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index can be greater than, less than or equal to 100%. The performance of the index is not taken into account when implementing the risk control strategy and could result in leveraged exposure to the Total Return index in a falling stock market or deleveraged exposure to the Total Return index in a rising stock market. Additionally, the index is the excess return version of the Risk Control index. As an excess return index, the index is designed to measure the return on a hypothetical investment in the Risk Control index that is made with hypothetically borrowed funds. Borrowing costs for these funds are assessed at a rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. Any positive performance of the Risk Control index will be offset by such hypothetical borrowing costs. Therefore, although the title of the index includes the phrase “Risk Control,” the index may decrease significantly more or increase significantly less than the Total Return index and your notes are not necessarily less risky than, and will not necessarily have better returns than, notes linked to the Total Return index. See “Comparative Performance of the Excess Return Index, the Risk Control Index and the Total Return Index” below for a comparison of the historical performance of the index relative to the Risk Control index and the Total Return index.

The Return on Your Notes is Based on an Index That Reflects Excess Return and Will Be Reduced By Borrowing Costs at the Index Level

The index is the excess return version of the Risk Control index, meaning that it is designed to measure the return on a hypothetical investment in the Risk Control index that is made with hypothetically borrowed funds. Borrowing costs for

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these funds are assessed at a rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. Such costs will reduce any positive performance of the Risk Control index (and, thereby, the index) and will increase any negative performance of the Risk Control index (and, thereby, the index). In order to receive a positive return on your notes, the return of the Risk Control index must exceed the borrowing costs at the index level. Because the return of the index is equal to the return of the Risk Control index minus borrowing costs, the return of the index will always be less than the return of the Risk Control index. See “Comparative Performance of the Excess Return Index, the Risk Control Index and the Total Return index” below for a comparison of the historical performance of the index relative to the Risk Control index and the Total Return index.

There Is No Assurance that Calculating Realized Volatility as the Greater of Short-Term Volatility and Long-Term Volatility Is the Best Way to Measure Realized Volatility

With regard to the Risk Control index, “realized volatility” is a measurement of variations in the historical daily returns of the Total Return index from the day that is two Risk Control index calculation days before the inception date (September 10, 2009) of the Risk Control index to the day that is two Risk Control index calculation days before the current Risk Control index calculation day. As a result, the measurement period for realized volatility will always have the same start date and will continue to get longer with each new Risk Control Index calculation day. Realized volatility is calculated as the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility. When the volatility of the Total Return index increases (or decreases), short-term volatility will increase (or decrease) more quickly than long-term volatility. Because realized volatility is the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility, realized volatility will increase quickly when volatility increases, which will quickly reduce exposure to the Total Return index. Conversely, because realized volatility is the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility, realized volatility will decrease slowly when volatility decreases, which in turn will gradually increase exposure to the Total Return index. There is no assurance that calculating realized volatility as the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility or using a measurement period with a set start date that continues to get longer with each new Risk Control index calculation day is the best way to measure realized volatility. It is possible that exclusively relying on short-term volatility or long-term volatility or on the lesser of short-term volatility and long-term volatility is a more reliable way to measure realized volatility.

The Index Will Not Reflect the Most Current Volatility of the Total Return Index

The Risk Control index is rebalanced using a leverage factor at the close of each Risk Control index calculation day in order to adjust its exposure to the Total Return index based on the applicable realized volatility. Although the Risk Control index is rebalanced at the close of each Risk Control index calculation day, because of how the leverage factor is calculated, there is a lag of two Risk Control index calculation days between the calculation of the leverage factor and the rebalancing of the Risk Control index in accordance with that leverage factor. Therefore, on any given Risk Control index calculation day, the leverage factor that determines the Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index for such Risk Control index calculation day will be based on the realized volatility of the Total Return index from two Risk Control index calculation days prior. Due to this two-day lag and the fact that realized volatility can fluctuate significantly during this period, and even during a single day, the Risk Control index will not be rebalanced to reflect (and therefore the index will not reflect) the realized volatility of the Total Return index as of the rebalancing day and will not have an actual volatility of 5%. As a result, if there is a rapid and severe decline in the level of the Total Return index, due to the two-day lag, the Risk Control index may not rebalance into the hypothetical cash position until the index has declined by a substantial amount.

There Is No Guarantee that the Index Will Achieve the 5% Volatility Target

The exposure of the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) to the Total Return index is subject to a maximum leverage factor of 150%, which may limit the ability of the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) to fully achieve a volatility target of 5% if achieving such volatility target would require a leverage factor in excess of 150%. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) will achieve the 5% volatility target.

You May be Exposed to Borrowing Costs at the Risk Control Index Level

The exposure of the Risk Control index to the Total Return index can be greater than, less than or equal to 100%. Exposure in excess of 100% (i.e., leverage) is achieved by hypothetically borrowing cash at a rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR for the exposure above 100%. As leverage increases, borrowing costs increase.

The cost of borrowing is ignored when determining leverage above 100% (subject to a maximum leverage factor of 150%), even if a prudent investor would choose not to borrow money to invest in the Total Return index at such time. The

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cost of borrowing may exceed the returns from the Total Return index if the return of the Total Return index decreases or if the rate of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR increases (or both).

Controlled Volatility Does Not Mean the Index Will Have Lower Volatility than the Total Return Index

The index, through the Risk Control index, employs a risk-control strategy that uses mathematical equations to target 5% volatility. The strategy does not have a goal of achieving lower volatility than the Total Return index. In fact, if the realized volatility of the Total Return index is less than the volatility target of 5%, the exposure to the Total Return index will be increased in an attempt to raise the volatility of the Risk Control index to 5%. Any time the exposure to the Total Return index is greater than 100%, the Risk Control index would be more volatile than the Total Return index.

Low Volatility Does Not Necessarily Mean the Risk Control Index Will Outperform the Total Return Index or that the Index Will Have Positive Performance

The index, through the Risk Control index, employs a risk-control strategy that uses mathematical equations to target 5% volatility. Even if the Risk Control index achieves its 5% volatility target, there is no guarantee that the Risk Control index will outperform the Total Return index or that the index return will be positive. For example, if the performance of the Total Return index remains stable or steadily decreases over time, the 5% volatility target will not cause the Risk Control index to outperform the Total Return index or result in a positive Risk Control index return. Moreover, the index return will be less than the Risk Control index return due to its excess return feature and the borrowing costs thereof. See “Comparative Performance of the Excess Return Index, the Risk Control Index and the Total Return index” below for a comparison of the historical performance of the index relative to the Risk Control index and the Total Return index.

There May Be Overexposure to the Total Return index in Falling Stock Markets or Underexposure in Rising Stock Markets

The index, through the Risk Control index, is designed to achieve a volatility target of 5% regardless of the direction of price movements in the market. Therefore, in rising stock markets if realized volatility is higher than the volatility target, some of the Risk Control index’s exposure (and therefore the index’s exposure) will be moved from the Total Return index to the hypothetical cash position, and the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) will experience lower returns than if the full exposure was maintained in the Total Return index. In contrast, if realized volatility is less than the volatility target in a falling stock market, the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) will be exposed to more than 100% of the losses in the Total Return index and the Risk Control index (and therefore the index) will experience lower returns than the Total Return index. The hypothetical cash position has represented a very significant portion of the Risk Control index in the past. Any rebalancing into a hypothetical cash position will limit your return on the notes.

The Exposure to the Total Return Index May Be Rebalanced into a Hypothetical Cash Position on Any or All Days During the Term of the notes

The index, through the Risk Control index, has a daily rebalancing feature which can result in a rebalancing between the exposure to the Total Return index and the hypothetical cash position. This could have the effect of reducing the exposure of the Total Return index to less than 100% in an attempt to reduce the volatility to 5%. The minimum leverage factor is 0%. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the Risk Control index will not be rebalanced so that the hypothetical cash position represents a significant portion of the Risk Control index (up to 100% of the index). Any rebalancing into a hypothetical cash position will limit your return on the notes.

Typically, a portion of the Risk Control index’s exposure has been to the hypothetical cash position.

The Historical Levels of Overnight U.S. Dollar LIBOR Are Not an Indication of the Future Levels of Overnight U.S. Dollar LIBOR

In the past, the level of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR has experienced significant fluctuations. You should note that historical levels, fluctuations and trends of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR is not necessarily indicative of future levels. Any historical upward or downward trend in overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR is not an indication that overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time, and you should not take the historical levels of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR as an indication of its future performance.

Interest Rate Benchmark May Be Discontinued

On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates the LIBOR administrator, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade or compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR (which includes the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate) after 2021. On March 5, 2021, the ICE Benchmark

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Administration Limited (IBA), which is supervised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, announced that it will cease publication of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate after June 30, 2023. There is no assurance that LIBOR will continue to be published until any particular date, and it appears highly likely that the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate will be discontinued or modified after June 30, 2023. It is not possible to predict the effect that these announcements or any such discontinuance or modification will have on the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate, the index or your notes. 

Regulation and Reform of “Benchmarks”, Including LIBOR and Other Types of Benchmarks, May Cause such “Benchmarks” to Perform Differently Than in the Past, or to Disappear Entirely, or Have Other Consequences Which Cannot be Predicted

LIBOR and other interest rate, equity, foreign exchange rate and other types of indices which are deemed to be “benchmarks” are the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. Some of these reforms are already effective while others are still to be implemented. These reforms may cause such “benchmarks” to perform differently than in the past, or to disappear entirely, or have other consequences which cannot be predicted. Any such consequence could have a material adverse effect on your notes.

Any of the international, national or other proposals for reform or the general increased regulatory scrutiny of “benchmarks” could increase the costs and risks of administering or otherwise participating in the setting of a “benchmark” and complying with any such regulations or requirements. Such factors may have the effect of discouraging market participants from continuing to administer or contribute to certain “benchmarks”, trigger changes in the rules or methodologies used in certain “benchmarks” or lead to the disappearance of certain “benchmarks”. The disappearance of a “benchmark” or changes in the manner of administration of a “benchmark” could result in discretionary valuation by the index sponsor or the calculation agent or other consequence in relation to your notes. Any such consequence could have a material adverse effect on the value of and return on your notes.

Except to the Extent The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Is One of the Companies Whose Common Stock Comprises the Index, There Is No Affiliation Between the Index Stock Issuers or the Index Sponsor and Us

The common stock of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is one of the index stocks comprising the Index. We are not otherwise affiliated with the issuers of the index stocks or the index sponsor. As we have told you above, however, we or our affiliates may currently or from time to time in the future own securities of, or engage in business with the index sponsor or the index stock issuers.  Neither we nor any of our affiliates have participated in the preparation of any publicly available information or made any “due diligence” investigation or inquiry with respect to the index or any of the other index stock issuers. You, as an investor in your notes, should make your own investigation into the index and the index stock issuers.  See “The Index” below for additional information about the index.

 

Neither the index sponsor nor any of the other index stock issuers are involved in the offering of your notes in any way and none of them have any obligation of any sort with respect to your notes.  Thus, neither the index sponsor nor any of the other index stock issuers have any obligation to take your interests into consideration for any reason, including in taking any corporate actions that might affect the market value of your notes.

Risks Related to Tax

Certain Considerations for Insurance Companies and Employee Benefit Plans

Any insurance company or fiduciary of a pension plan or other employee benefit plan that is subject to the prohibited transaction rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, which we call “ERISA”, or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including an IRA or a Keogh plan (or a governmental plan to which similar prohibitions apply), and that is considering purchasing the offered notes with the assets of the insurance company or the assets of such a plan, should consult with its counsel regarding whether the purchase or holding of the offered notes could become a “prohibited transaction” under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any substantially similar prohibition in light of the representations a purchaser or holder in any of the above categories is deemed to make by purchasing and holding the offered notes.  This is discussed in more detail under “Employee Retirement Income Security Act” below.

Your Notes Will Be Treated as Debt Instruments Subject to Special Rules Governing Contingent Payment Debt Instruments for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes

The notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If you are a U.S. individual or taxable entity, you generally will be required to pay taxes on ordinary income from the notes over their term based on the comparable yield for the notes, even though you will not receive any payments from us until maturity. This comparable yield is determined solely to calculate the amount on which you will be taxed prior to maturity and is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of what the actual yield will be. In addition, any gain you may recognize on the sale, exchange or maturity of the notes will be taxed as ordinary interest income. If

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you are a secondary purchaser of the notes, the tax consequences to you may be different. Please see “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” below for a more detailed discussion. Please also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding May Apply to Payments on Your Notes, Including as a Result of the Failure of the Bank or Broker Through Which You Hold the Notes to Provide Information to Tax Authorities

Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of FATCA to payments made on your notes.

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SPECIFIC TERMS OF YOUR NOTES

 

 

We refer to the notes we are offering by this prospectus supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Please note that in this prospectus supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated March 22, 2021, and  references to the “accompanying prospectus supplement” mean the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated March 22, 2021, for Medium-Term Notes, Series F, in each case of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.  Please note that in this section entitled “Specific Terms of Your Notes”, references to “holders” mean those who own notes registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in notes registered in street name or in notes issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company. Please review the special considerations that apply to owners of beneficial interests in the accompanying prospectus, under “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

 

 

The offered notes are part of a series of debt securities, entitled “Medium-Term Notes, Series F”, that we may issue under the indenture from time to time as described in the accompanying prospectus and accompanying prospectus supplement.  The offered notes are also “indexed debt securities”, as defined in the accompanying prospectus.

This prospectus supplement summarizes specific financial and other terms that apply to the offered notes, including your notes; terms that apply generally to all Series F medium-term notes are described in “Description of Notes We May Offer” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.  The terms described here supplement those described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and, if the terms described here are inconsistent with those described there, the terms described here are controlling.

In addition to those terms described under “Summary Information” in this prospectus supplement, the following terms will apply to your notes:

No interest:  we will not pay interest on your notes

Specified currency:

U.S. dollars (“$”)

Form of note:

global form only:  yes, at DTC

non-global form available:  no

Denominations:  each note registered in the name of a holder must have a face amount of $1,000, or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof

Defeasance applies as follows:

full defeasance:  no

covenant defeasance:  no

Other terms:

the default amount will be payable on any acceleration of the maturity of your notes as described under “— Special Calculation Provisions” below

a business day for your notes will not be the same as a business day for our other Series F medium-term notes, as described under “— Special Calculation Provisions” below

a trading day for your notes will be as described under “— Special Calculation Provisions” below

Please note that the information about the settlement date or trade date, issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds to GS Finance Corp. on the front cover page or elsewhere in this prospectus supplement relates only to the initial issuance and sale of the notes.  We may decide to sell additional notes on one or more dates after the date of this prospectus supplement, at issue prices and with, underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth on the front cover page or elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.  If you have purchased your notes in a market-making transaction after the initial issuance and sale of the notes, any such relevant information about the sale to you will be provided in a separate confirmation of sale.

We describe the terms of your notes in more detail below.

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Index, Index Sponsor and Index Stocks

In this prospectus supplement, when we refer to the index, we mean the index specified on the front cover page, or any successor index, as it may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time as described under “— Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below.  When we refer to the index sponsor as of any time, we mean the entity, including any successor sponsor, that determines and publishes the index as then in effect.  When we refer to the index stocks as of any time, we mean the stocks that comprise the index as then in effect, after giving effect to any additions, deletions or substitutions.

Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date

On the stated maturity date, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes you will receive an amount in cash equal to:

if the final index level is greater than the initial index level, the sum of (a) $1,000 plus (b) the product of the index return times $1,000 times the upside gearing; or

if the final index level is equal to or less than the initial index level, $1,000.

The index return is calculated by subtracting the initial index level from the final index level and dividing the result by the initial index level, with the quotient expressed as a percentage.  The upside gearing is 1.105.

The initial index level is 162.16. The calculation agent will determine the final index level, which will be the closing level of the index on the determination date.  However, the calculation agent will have discretion to adjust the closing level on the determination date or to determine it in a different manner as described under “— Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” and  “— Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below.

Stated Maturity Date

The stated maturity date is July 31, 2028, unless that day is not a business day, in which case the stated maturity date will be the next following business day. If the determination date is postponed as described under “— Determination Date” below, the stated maturity date will be postponed by the same number of business day(s) from but excluding the originally scheduled determination date to and including the actual determination date.

Determination Date

The determination date is July 26, 2028, unless the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on that day or that day is not otherwise a trading day. In that event, the determination date will be the first following trading day on which the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event does not occur and is not continuing. In no event, however, will the determination date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled stated maturity date or, if the originally scheduled stated maturity date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled stated maturity date. If the determination date is postponed to the last possible day, but a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on that day or such day is not a trading day, that day will nevertheless be the determination date.

Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day

If a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on a day that would otherwise be the determination date or such day is not a trading day, then the determination date will be postponed as described under “— Determination Date” above.

If the calculation agent determines that the closing level of the index that must be used to determine the cash settlement amount is not available on the determination date because of a market disruption event, a non-trading day or for any other reason (other than as described under “— Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below), then the calculation agent will nevertheless determine the final index level based on its assessment, in good faith in its sole discretion, of the level of the index on that day.

Discontinuance or Modification of the Index

If the index sponsor discontinues publication of the index and the index sponsor or anyone else publishes a substitute index that the calculation agent determines is comparable to the index, or if the calculation agent designates a substitute index, then the calculation agent will determine the cash settlement amount on the stated maturity date by reference to the substitute index.  We refer to any substitute index approved by the calculation agent as a successor index.

If the calculation agent determines on the determination date that the publication of the index is discontinued and there is no successor index, the calculation agent will determine the applicable closing level of the index used to determine the cash settlement amount on the stated maturity date by a computation methodology that the calculation agent determines will as closely as reasonably possible replicate the index.

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If the calculation agent determines that (i) the index, the stocks comprising the index or the method of calculating the index is changed at any time in any respect — including any addition, deletion or substitution and any reweighting or rebalancing of the index or the index stocks and whether the change is made by the index sponsor under its existing policies or following a modification of those policies, is due to the publication of a successor index, is due to events affecting one or more of the index stocks or their issuers or is due to any other reason — and is not otherwise reflected in the level of the index by the index sponsor pursuant to the then-current index methodology of the index or (ii) there has been a split or reverse split of the index, then the calculation agent will be permitted (but not required) to make such adjustments in the index or the method of its calculation as it believes are appropriate to ensure that the levels of the index used to determine the cash settlement amount on the stated maturity date is equitable.

All determinations and adjustments to be made by the calculation agent with respect to the index may be made by the calculation agent in its sole discretion.  The calculation agent is not obligated to make any such adjustments.

Default Amount on Acceleration

If an event of default occurs and the maturity of your notes is accelerated, we will pay the default amount in respect of the principal of your notes at the maturity, instead of the cash settlement amount on the stated maturity date as described earlier.  We describe the default amount under “— Special Calculation Provisions” below.

For the purpose of determining whether the holders of our Series F medium-term notes, which include your notes, are entitled to take any action under the indenture, we will treat the outstanding face amount of your notes as the outstanding principal amount of that note.  Although the terms of the offered notes differ from those of the other Series F medium-term notes, holders of specified percentages in principal amount of all Series F medium-term notes, together in some cases with other series of our debt securities, will be able to take action affecting all the Series F medium-term notes, including your notes, except with respect to certain Series F medium-term notes if the terms of such notes specify that the holders of specified percentages in the principal amount of all such notes must also consent to such action.  This action may involve changing some of the terms that apply to the Series F medium-term notes or waiving some of our obligations under the indenture.  In addition, certain changes to the indenture and the notes that only affect certain debt securities may be made with the approval of holders of a majority of the principal amount of such affected debt securities.  We discuss these matters in the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Default, Remedies and Waiver of Default” and “— Modification of the Debt Indentures and Waiver of Covenants”.

Manner of Payment

Any payment on your notes at maturity will be made to an account designated by the holder of your notes and approved by us, or at the office of the trustee in New York City, but only when your notes are surrendered to the trustee at that office. We also may make any payment in accordance with the applicable procedures of the depositary.

Modified Business Day

As described in the accompanying prospectus, any payment on your notes that would otherwise be due on a day that is not a business day may instead be paid on the next day that is a business day, with the same effect as if paid on the original due date.  For your notes, however, the term business day may have a different meaning than it does for other Series F medium-term notes.  We discuss this term under “— Special Calculation Provisions” below.

Role of Calculation Agent

The calculation agent in its sole discretion will make all determinations regarding the index, market disruption events, business days, trading days, the index return, the final index level, the determination date, the stated maturity date and the cash settlement amount on your notes at maturity.  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.

Please note that GS&Co., our affiliate, is currently serving as the calculation agent as of the date of this prospectus supplement. We may change the calculation agent for your notes at any time after the date of this prospectus supplement without notice and GS&Co. may resign as calculation agent at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to us.


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Special Calculation Provisions

Business Day

When we refer to a business day with respect to your notes, we mean a day that is a New York business day as described under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Calculations of Interest on Debt Securities — Business Days” on page 19 in the accompanying prospectus.

Trading Day

When we refer to a trading day with respect to the index, we mean a day on which the respective principal securities markets for all of the index stocks are open for trading, the index sponsor is open for business and the index is calculated and published by the index sponsor.

Closing Level

When we refer to the closing level of the index on any trading day, we mean the official closing level of the index or any successor index published by the index sponsor on such trading day.

Default Amount

The default amount for your notes on any day (except as provided in the last sentence under “— Default Quotation Period” below) will be an amount, in the specified currency for the principal of your notes, equal to the cost of having a qualified financial institution, of the kind and selected as described below, expressly assume all of our payment and other obligations with respect to your notes as of that day and as if no default or acceleration had occurred, or to undertake other obligations providing substantially equivalent economic value to you with respect to your notes. That cost will equal:

 

the lowest amount that a qualified financial institution would charge to effect this assumption or undertaking, plus

 

the reasonable expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the holder of your notes in preparing any documentation necessary for this assumption or undertaking.

During the default quotation period for your notes, which we describe below, the holder and/or we may request a qualified financial institution to provide a quotation of the amount it would charge to effect this assumption or undertaking.  If either party obtains a quotation, it must notify the other party in writing of the quotation.  The amount referred to in the first bullet point above will equal the lowest—or, if there is only one, the only— quotation obtained, and as to which notice is so given, during the default quotation period.  With respect to any quotation, however, the party not obtaining the quotation may object, on reasonable and significant grounds, to the assumption or undertaking by the qualified financial institution providing the quotation and notify the other party in writing of those grounds within two business days after the last day of the default quotation period, in which case that quotation will be disregarded in determining the default amount.

Default Quotation Period

The default quotation period is the period beginning on the day the default amount first becomes due and ending on the third business day after that day, unless:

no quotation of the kind referred to above is obtained, or

every quotation of that kind obtained is objected to within five business days after the day the default amount first becomes due.

If either of these two events occurs, the default quotation period will continue until the third business day after the first business day on which prompt notice of a quotation is given as described above.  If that quotation is objected to as described above within five business days after that first business day, however, the default quotation period will continue as described in the prior sentence and this sentence.

In any event, if the default quotation period and the subsequent two business day objection period have not ended before the determination date, then the default amount will equal the principal amount of your notes.

Qualified Financial Institutions

For the purpose of determining the default amount at any time, a qualified financial institution must be a financial institution organized under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States of America, Europe or Japan, which at that time has outstanding debt obligations with a stated maturity of one year or less from the date of issue and that is, or whose securities are, rated either:

A-1 or higher by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services or any successor, or any other comparable rating then used by that rating agency, or

P-1 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor, or any other comparable rating then used by that rating agency.

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Market Disruption Event

With respect to any given trading day, any of the following will be a market disruption event:

a suspension, absence or material limitation of trading in index stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the index on their respective primary markets, in each case for more than two consecutive hours of trading or during the one -half hour before the close of trading in that market, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion, or

a suspension, absence or material limitation of trading in option or futures contracts relating to the index or to index stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the index in the respective primary markets for those contracts, in each case for more than two consecutive hours of trading or during the one-half hour before the close of trading in that market, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion, or

index stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the index, or option or futures contracts, if available, relating to the index or to index stocks constituting 20% or more, by weight, of the index are not trading on what were the respective primary markets for those index stocks or contracts, as determined by the calculation agent in its sole discretion,

and, in the case of any of these events, the calculation agent determines in its sole discretion that the event could materially interfere with the ability of GS Finance Corp. or any of its affiliates to unwind all or a material portion of a hedge that could be effected with respect to the offered notes.  For more information about hedging by GS Finance Corp. and/or any of its affiliates, see “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” below.

The following events will not be market disruption events:

a limitation on the hours or numbers of days of trading, but only if the limitation results from an announced change in the regular business hours of the relevant market, and

a decision to permanently discontinue trading in option or futures contracts relating to the index or to any index stock.

For this purpose, an “absence of trading” in the primary securities market on which an index stock, or on which option or futures contracts relating to the index or an index stock, are traded will not include any time when that market is itself closed for trading under ordinary circumstances. In contrast, a suspension or limitation of trading in an index stock or in option or futures contracts, if available, relating to the index or an index stock in the primary market for that stock or those contracts, by reason of:

a price change exceeding limits set by that market,

an imbalance of orders relating to that index stock or those contracts, or

a disparity in bid and ask quotes relating to that index stock or those contracts,

will constitute a suspension or material limitation of trading in that stock or those contracts in that market.

As is the case throughout this prospectus supplement, references to the index in this description of market disruption events includes the index and any successor index as it may be modified, replaced or adjusted from time to time.


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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will lend the net proceeds from the sale of the offered notes to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or its affiliates. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will use the proceeds from such loans for the purposes we describe in the accompanying prospectus under “Use of Proceeds”. We or our affiliates may also use those proceeds in transactions intended to hedge our obligations under the offered notes as described below.

HEDGING

In anticipation of the sale of the offered notes, we and/or our affiliates have entered into or expect to enter into hedging transactions involving purchases of listed or over-the-counter options, futures and other instruments linked to the index or the index stocks on or before the trade date.  In addition, from time to time after we issue the offered notes, we and/or our affiliates may enter into additional hedging transactions and unwind those we have entered into in connection with the offered notes and perhaps in connection with other index-linked notes we issue, some of which may have returns linked to the index or the index stocks.  Consequently, with regard to your notes, from time to time, we and/or our affiliates:

expect to acquire, or dispose of positions in listed or over-the-counter options, futures or other instruments linked to the index or some or all of the index stocks,

may take or dispose of positions in the securities of the index stock issuers themselves,

may take or dispose of positions in listed or over-the-counter options or other instruments based on an index designed to track the performance of the stock exchanges or other components of the equity markets, and/or

may take short positions in the index stocks or other securities of the kind described above— i.e., we and/or our affiliates may sell securities of the kind that we do not own or that we borrow for delivery to purchaser.

We and/or our affiliates may acquire a long or short position in securities similar to your notes from time to time and may, in our or their sole discretion, hold or resell those securities.

In the future, we and/or our affiliates expect to close out hedge positions relating to the offered notes and perhaps relating to other notes with returns linked to the index or the index stocks. We expect these steps to involve sales of instruments linked to the index on or shortly before the determination date. These steps may also involve sales and/or purchases of some or all of the index stocks, or listed or over-the-counter options, futures or other instruments linked to the index, some or all of the index stocks or indices designed to track the performance of the U.S., European, Asian or other stock exchanges or other components of the U.S., European, Asian or other equity markets or other components of such markets.

 

The hedging activity discussed above may adversely affect the market value of your notes from time to time and the amount we will pay on your notes at maturity. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes” above for a discussion of these adverse effects.

 

 

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The Index

The S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index (the “Excess Return index”):

is an equity index, and therefore cannot be invested in directly;

does not file reports with the SEC because it is not an issuer;

has a launch date of September 10, 2009, with a base value of 100 as of its base date, February 5, 1990; and

 

is sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”).

The Excess Return index is the excess return version of the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index (the “Risk Control index”), meaning that the Excess Return index is designed to measure the return on a hypothetical investment in the Risk Control index borrowed at the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate.  Any percentage increase in the Risk Control index will be offset by the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate. See “Interest Rate Benchmark May Be Discontinued” and “Regulation and Reform of “Benchmarks”, Including LIBOR and Other Types of Benchmarks, May Cause such “Benchmarks” to Perform Differently Than in the Past, or to Disappear Entirely, or Have Other Consequences Which Cannot be Predicted” for more information about overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR.

The Risk Control index is intended to provide investors with exposure to the S&P 500® Total Return Index (the “Total Return index”) subject to a risk control strategy that dynamically increases or decreases the exposure to the Total Return index in an attempt to achieve a 5% volatility target. The Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index can be greater than, less than or equal to 100%. Exposure in excess of 100% is achieved by hypothetically borrowing cash at a rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. Exposure of less than 100% is achieved by hypothetically selling some of the exposure to the Total Return index, which results in a hypothetical cash position that accrues interest at the overnight U.S. LIBOR rate.  Notwithstanding that the title of each of the Excess Return index and the Risk Control index includes the phrase “Risk Control”, the Excess Return index and the Risk Control index may decrease significantly more or increase significantly less than the Total Return index.

The Total Return index is a total return-based calculation of the S&P 500® Index. The S&P 500® Index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy.

The Excess Return index, the Risk Control index, the Total Return index and the S&P 500® Index are calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”). Additional information about the Excess Return index, the Risk Control index, the Total Return index, and the S&P 500® Index (including sector weights) is available on the following websites: spglobal.com/spdji/en /indices/strategy/sp-500-daily-risk-control-5-usd-excess-return-index, spglobal.com/spdji/en /indices/strategy/sp-500-daily-risk-control-5-usd-total-return-index, spglobal.com/indices/equity/sp-500 and spglobal.com. We are not incorporating by reference the websites or any material they include in this prospectus supplement.

S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index

The Excess Return index is the excess return version of the Risk Control index. The Excess Return index is designed to measure the return on a hypothetical investment in the Risk Control index that is made with borrowed funds. Borrowing costs are assessed at a rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. Such costs will reduce any positive index return and will increase any negative index return. The level of the Excess Return index on an index calculation day (“T”) is equal to the product of (a) the level of the Excess Return index on the previous index calculation day (“T – 1”) multiplied by (b) (i) the return of the Risk Control index on the Excess Return index calculation day (“T”) minus (ii) the borrowing costs.

S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index

The Risk Control index is designed to measure the return on a hypothetical investment in the Total Return index that dynamically increases or decreases its exposure to the Total Return index in an attempt to achieve a 5% volatility target (the “volatility target”). While the Risk Control index is designed to achieve a stable level of volatility, there can be no assurance that the Risk Control index will achieve this goal.

The return on the Risk Control index consists of two components: (1) the exposure to the Total Return index, which may be greater than (but not greater than 150%), less than (as low as zero) or equal to 100% of the daily return of the Total Return index, and (2) an interest cost or gain. An exposure greater than 100% of the daily return of the Total Return index

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is a leveraged position where the exposure to the Total Return index is increased by hypothetically borrowing cash (and paying interest on such cash as described below) and investing such cash in the Total Return index. An exposure less than 100% of the daily return of the Total Return index is a deleveraged position where the exposure to the Total Return index is decreased by hypothetically selling some of the exposure, which results in a hypothetical cash position that accrues interest. An exposure equal to 100% of the daily return of the Total Return index has the same daily return as the Total Return index. Interest cost accrues on the amount of any hypothetical borrowed cash and interest gain accrues on the amount of any hypothetical cash position. The rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR is used to calculate the interest cost or gain. The Excess Return index sponsor may use other successor interest rates if overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR is unavailable, and a 360-day year is assumed for the interest calculations in accordance with U.S. banking practices.

Each Risk Control index calculation day (“T”), the Excess Return index sponsor calculates the “leverage factor”, which determines whether the exposure to the Total Return index should be greater than, less than or equal to 100% of the daily return of the Total Return index for the following Risk Control index calculation day (“T + 1”). The leverage factor is a ratio of the target volatility level (of 5%) to the “realized volatility” (as defined below) for the second preceding Risk Control index calculation day (“T - 2”), subject to a maximum leverage factor of 150% and a minimum leverage factor of 0%. For example, if on the second preceding Risk Control index calculation day the realized volatility were equal to 4%, on the Risk Control index calculation day the leverage factor would be equal to 125% (5% divided by 4%) and on the following Risk Control index calculation day the Risk Control index would be exposed to 125% of the daily return of the Total Return index.

Although the Risk Control index is rebalanced at the close of each Risk Control index calculation day, because of how the leverage factor is calculated, there is a lag of two Risk Control index calculation days between the calculation of the leverage factor and the rebalancing of the Risk Control index in accordance with that leverage factor.  Therefore, on any given Risk Control index calculation day, the leverage factor that determined the Risk Control index’s exposure to the Total Return index for such Risk Control index calculation day was based on the realized volatility of the Total Return index from two Risk Control index calculation days prior.

“Realized volatility” is a measurement of variations in the historical daily returns of the Total Return index. Realized volatility is calculated as the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility. Both short-term volatility and long-term volatility are calculated based on the historical daily returns over the same time period (from the day that is two Risk Control index calculation days before the inception date (September 10, 2009) of the Risk Control index to the day that is two Risk Control index calculation days before the current Risk Control index calculation day) and both apply and gradually increase a discount that gradually reduces the significance of a given historical daily return as it moves farther into the past. However, short-term volatility applies a larger discount than does  long-term volatility. The discount for short-term volatility is slightly more than double the discount for long-term volatility. As a result, the 10 most recent Risk Control index calculation days account for approximately 50% of the weighting when determining short-term volatility, while the 23 most recent Risk Control index calculation days account for approximately 50% of the weighting when determining long-term volatility. The short-term realized volatility calculation and the long-term realized volatility calculations differ only in that the long-term volatility calculation places 50% of the calculation weighting on an additional 13 days.

When the volatility of the Total Return index increases (or decreases), short-term volatility will increase (or decrease) more quickly than long-term volatility. Because realized volatility is the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility, realized volatility will increase quickly when volatility increases, which will quickly reduce exposure to the Total Return index. Conversely, because realized volatility is the greater of short-term volatility and long-term volatility, realized volatility will decrease slowly when volatility decreases, which in turn will gradually increase exposure to the Total Return index.

If realized volatility is less than the volatility target, the leverage factor will be greater than one and the exposure to the daily return of the Total Return index will be greater than 100%. As a result, interest costs will be incurred for the exposure greater than 100% at the rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. For example, if the realized volatility is 4%, the leverage factor will be 125% (i.e., 5 divided by 4 = 125%). In this case, the Risk Control index would be exposed to 125% of the daily return of the Total Return index, and interest cost will be assessed for the 25% exposure above 100%. If realized volatility is greater than the volatility target, the leverage factor will be less than one and the exposure to the daily return of the Total Return index will be less than 100%. As a result, exposure will be moved to the cash position, which will accrue interest at the rate of overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR. For example, if the realized volatility is 6%, the leverage factor will be approximately 83% (i.e., 5 divided by 6 = approximately 83%). In this case, the Risk Control index would be exposed to approximately 83% of the daily return of the Total Return index, plus the interest gain on the 17% of exposure that is moved to the cash position. If realized volatility is equal to the volatility target, the leverage factor will be equal to one and exposure to the daily return of the Total Return index will be equal to 100% and there will be no interest cost or gain.

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Typically, a portion of the Risk Control index’s exposure has been to the hypothetical cash position.

Total Return Index

The Total Return index is a total return-based calculation of the S&P 500® Index. The total return construction reflects both movements in stock prices and the reinvestment of dividend income. The Total Return index represents the total return earned in a portfolio that tracks the S&P 500® Index and reinvests dividend income in the overall index, not in the specific stock paying the dividend.

The total return construction builds the Total Return index from the price return version of the S&P 500® Index but accounts for daily total dividend returns. The first step is to calculate the total dividend paid on a given day and convert that figure into price index points. A total daily dividend amount is calculated as the aggregate of (a) the number of shares of each stock in the S&P 500® Index times (b) the dividend per share paid for such stock. This calculation is performed for each trading day. The dividend per share for a stock is generally zero except for four times a year when it goes ex-dividend for the quarterly dividend payment. Some stocks included in the S&P 500® Index do not pay dividends and this amount always remains zero. Ordinary cash dividends are applied on the ex-dividend date in calculating the total return index. The Total Return index reflects both ordinary and special cash dividends. “Special dividends” are those dividends that are outside of the normal payment pattern established historically by the issuing company. These may be described by the company as “special,” “extra,” “year-end” or “return of capital.” Whether a dividend is funded from operating earnings or from other sources of cash does not affect the determination of whether it is ordinary or special. S&P Dow Jones Indices will generally consider the third consecutive instance of a non-ordinary dividend (in terms of timing, not amount) to be ordinary for index calculation purposes as a third consecutive instance will now be considered to be part of the normal payment pattern established by the company. As discussed under “The S&P 500® Index” below, special dividends are treated as corporate actions with offsetting price and divisor adjustments.

The total daily dividend amount calculated above is converted to index points by dividing such amount by the divisor for the price return version of the S&P 500® Index. The daily total return for the Total Return index is then determined by calculating (a) the sum of (i) the level of the price return version of the S&P 500® Index on that day plus (ii) the index points reflecting the total daily dividend amount on such day divided by (b) the level of the price return version of the S&P 500® Index for the previous day minus (c) one. The daily total return is used to update the Total Return index level from one day to the next by calculating the product of (a) the level of the Total Return index from the previous day times (b) the sum of (i) one plus (ii) the daily total return for the given day.

S&P 500® Index

The S&P 500® Index, which we also refer to in this description as the “index”:

is an equity index, and therefore cannot be invested in directly;

does not file reports with the SEC because it is not an issuer;

was first launched on March 4, 1957 based on an initial value of 10 from 1941-1943; and

is sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”).

The S&P 500® Index includes a representative sample of 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The 500 companies are not the 500 largest companies listed on the NYSE and not all 500 companies are listed on the NYSE. S&P chooses companies for inclusion in the S&P 500® Index with an aim of achieving a distribution by broad industry groupings that approximates the distribution of these groupings in the common stock population of the U.S. equity market.  Although the S&P 500® Index contains 500 constituent companies, at any one time it may contain greater than 500 constituent trading lines since some companies included in the S&P 500® Index prior to July 31, 2017 may be represented by multiple share class lines in the S&P 500® Index.  The S&P 500® Index is calculated, maintained and published by S&P and is part of the S&P Dow Jones Indices family of indices.

S&P intends for the S&P 500® Index to provide a performance benchmark for the large-cap U.S. equity markets. Constituent changes are made on an as-needed basis and there is no schedule for constituent reviews. Index additions and deletions are announced with at least three business days advance notice. Less than three business days’ notice may be given at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee. Relevant criteria for additions to the S&P 500® Index that are employed by S&P include: the company proposed for addition should have an unadjusted company market capitalization of $13.1 billion or more and a security level float-adjusted market capitalization of at least 50% of such threshold (for spin-offs, eligibility is determined using when-issued prices, if available); using composite pricing and volume, the ratio of annual dollar value traded (defined as average closing price over the period multiplied by historical volume) in the proposed constituent to float-adjusted market capitalization of that company should be at least 1.00 and the stock should trade a minimum of 250,000 shares in each of the six months leading up to the evaluation date; the company must be a

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U.S. company (characterized as a Form 10-K filer with its U.S. portion of fixed assets and revenues constituting a plurality of the total and with a primary listing of the common stock on the NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American (formerly NYSE MKT), Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, Cboe BZX (formerly Bats BZX), Cboe BYX (formerly Bats BYX), Cboe EDGA (formerly Bats EDGA) or Cboe EDGX (formerly Bats EDGX) (each, an “eligible exchange”)); the proposed constituent has an investable weight factor (“IWF”) of 10% or more; the inclusion of the company will contribute to sector balance in the S&P 500® Index relative to sector balance in the market in the relevant market capitalization range; financial viability (the sum of the most recent four consecutive quarters’ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) earnings (net income excluding discontinued operations) should be positive as should the most recent quarter); and, for IPOs, the company must be traded on an eligible exchange for at least twelve months (spin-offs or in-specie distributions from existing constituents do not need to be traded on an eligible exchange for twelve months prior to their inclusion in the S&P 500® Index). In addition, constituents of the S&P MidCap 400® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index can be added to the S&P 500® Index provided they meet the unadjusted company level market capitalization eligibility criteria for the S&P 500® Index. Migrations from the S&P MidCap 400® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600® Index do not need to meet the financial viability, liquidity, or 50% of the S&P 500® Index’s unadjusted company level minimum market capitalization threshold criteria.  Further, constituents of the S&P Total Market Index Ex S&P Composite 1500 (which includes all eligible U.S. common equities except for those included in the S&P 500® Index, the S&P MidCap 400® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index) that acquire a constituent of the S&P 500® Index, the S&P MidCap 400® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600® Index that do not fully meet the financial viability or IWF criteria may still be added to the S&P 500® Index at the discretion of the Index Committee if the Index Committee determines that the addition could minimize turnover and enhance the representativeness of the S&P 500® Index as a market benchmark. Certain types of organizational structures and securities are always excluded, including, but not limited to, business development companies (BDCs), limited partnerships, master limited partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), OTC bulletin board issues, closed-end funds, ETFs, ETNs, royalty trusts, tracking stocks, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), preferred stock and convertible preferred stock, unit trusts, equity warrants, convertible bonds, investment trusts, rights and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Stocks are deleted from the S&P 500® Index when they are involved in mergers, acquisitions or significant restructurings such that they no longer meet the inclusion criteria, and when they substantially violate one or more of the addition criteria. Stocks that are delisted or moved to the pink sheets or the bulletin board are removed, and those that experience a trading halt may be retained or removed in S&P’s discretion. S&P evaluates additions and deletions with a view to maintaining S&P 500® Index continuity.

For constituents included in the S&P 500® Index prior to July 31, 2017, all publicly listed multiple share class lines are included separately in the S&P 500® Index, subject to, in the case of any such share class line, that share class line satisfying the liquidity and float criteria discussed above and subject to certain exceptions.  It is possible that one listed share class line of a company may be included in the S&P 500® Index while a second listed share class line of the same company is excluded.  For companies that issue a second publicly traded share class to index share class holders, the newly issued share class line is considered for inclusion if the event is mandatory and the market capitalization of the distributed class is not considered to be de minimis.

As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the S&P 500® Index. Only common shares are considered when determining whether a company has a multiple share class structure. Constituents of the S&P 500® Index prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the S&P 500® Index. If an S&P 500® Index constituent reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will be reviewed for continued inclusion in the S&P 500® Index at the discretion of the S&P Index Committee.

Calculation of the S&P 500® Index

The S&P 500® Index is calculated using a base-weighted aggregative methodology. The value of the S&P 500® Index on any day for which an index value is published is determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate of the market price of each stock in the S&P 500® Index times the number of shares of such stock included in the S&P 500® Index, and the denominator of which is the divisor, which is described more fully below. The “market value” of any index stock is the product of the market price per share of that stock times the number of the then-outstanding shares of such index stock that are then included in the S&P 500® Index.

The S&P 500® Index is also sometimes called a “base-weighted aggregative index” because of its use of a divisor. The “divisor” is a value calculated by S&P that is intended to maintain conformity in index values over time and is adjusted for all changes in the index stocks’ share capital after the “base date” as described below. The level of the S&P 500® Index reflects the total market value of all index stocks relative to the S&P 500® Index’s base date of 1941-43.

In addition, the S&P 500® Index is float-adjusted, meaning that the share counts used in calculating the S&P 500® Index reflect only those shares available to investors rather than all of a company’s outstanding shares. S&P seeks to exclude shares held by long-term, strategic shareholders concerned with the control of a company, a group that generally includes the following: officers and directors and related individuals whose holdings are publicly disclosed, private equity, venture

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capital, special equity firms, asset managers and insurance companies with board of director representation, publicly traded companies that hold shares in another company, holders of restricted shares (except for shares held as part of a lock-up agreement), company-sponsored employee share plans/trusts, defined contribution plans/savings, investment plans, foundations or family trusts associated with the company, government entities at all levels (except government retirement or pension funds), sovereign wealth funds and any individual person listed as a 5% or greater stakeholder in a company as reported in regulatory filings (collectively, “strategic holders”). To this end, S&P excludes all share-holdings (other than depositary banks, pension funds (including government pension and retirement funds), mutual funds, exchange traded fund providers, investment funds, asset managers (including hedge funds with no board of director representation), investment funds of insurance companies and independent foundations not associated with the company) with a position greater than 5% of the outstanding shares of a company from the float-adjusted share count to be used in S&P 500® Index calculations.

The exclusion is accomplished by calculating an IWF for each stock that is part of the numerator of the float-adjusted index fraction described above:

IWF = (available float shares)/(total shares outstanding)

where available float shares is defined as total shares outstanding less shares held by strategic holders. In most cases, an IWF is reported to the nearest one percentage point. For companies with multiple share class lines, a separate IWF is calculated for each share class line.

Maintenance of the S&P 500® Index

In order to keep the S&P 500® Index comparable over time S&P engages in an index maintenance process. The S&P 500® Index maintenance process involves changing the constituents as discussed above, and also involves maintaining quality assurance processes and procedures, adjusting the number of shares used to calculate the S&P 500® Index, monitoring and completing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, adjusting for stock splits and stock dividends and adjusting for other corporate actions. In addition to its daily governance of indices and maintenance of the S&P 500® Index methodology, at least once within any 12 month period, the S&P Index Committee reviews the S&P 500® Index methodology to ensure the S&P 500® Index continues to achieve the stated objective, and that the data and methodology remain effective. The S&P Index Committee may at times consult with investors, market participants, security issuers included in or potentially included in the S&P 500® Index, or investment and financial experts.

Divisor Adjustments

The two types of adjustments primarily used by S&P are divisor adjustments and adjustments to the number of shares (including float adjustments) used to calculate the S&P 500® Index. Set forth below is a table of certain corporate events and their resulting effect on the divisor and the share count. If a corporate event requires an adjustment to the divisor, that event has the effect of altering the market value of the affected index stock and consequently of altering the aggregate market value of the index stocks following the event. In order that the level of the S&P 500® Index not be affected by the altered market value (which could be an increase or decrease) of the affected index stock, S&P generally derives a new divisor by dividing the post-event market value of the index stocks by the pre-event index value, which has the effect of reducing the S&P 500® Index’s post-event value to the pre-event level.


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Changes to the Number of Shares of a Constituent

The index maintenance process also involves tracking the changes in the number of shares included for each of the index companies. Changes as a result of mandatory events, such as mergers or acquisition driven share/IWF changes, stock splits and mandatory distributions are not subject to a minimum threshold for implementation and are implemented when the transaction occurs. At S&P’s discretion, however, de minimis merger and acquisition changes may be accumulated and implemented with the updates made with the quarterly share updates as described below. Material share/IWF changes resulting from certain non-mandatory corporate actions follow the accelerated implementation rule. Non-material share/IWF changes are implemented quarterly.

Accelerated Implementation Rule

1. Public offerings. Public offerings of new company-issued shares and/or existing shares offered by selling shareholders, including block sales and spot secondaries, will be eligible for accelerated implementation treatment if the size of the event meets the materiality threshold criteria:

(a)

at least US $150 million, and

(b)

at least 5% of the pre-event total shares.

In addition to the materiality threshold, public offerings must satisfy the following conditions:

be underwritten.

have a publicly available prospectus, offering document, or prospectus summary filed with the relevant authorities.

have a publicly available confirmation from an official source that the offering has been completed.

For public offerings that involve a concurrent combination of new company shares and existing shares offered by selling shareholders, both events are implemented if either of the public offerings represent at least 5% of total shares and $150 million. Any concurrent share repurchase by the affected company will also be included in the implementation.

2. Dutch Auctions, self-tender offer buybacks, and split-off exchange offers. These nonmandatory corporate action types will be eligible for accelerated implementation treatment regardless of size once their results are publicly announced and verified by S&P.

Exception to the Accelerated Implementation Rule

For non-mandatory corporate actions subject to the accelerated implementation rule with a size of at least US $1 billion, S&P will apply the share change, and any resulting IWF change, using the latest share and ownership information publicly available at the time of the announcement, even if the offering size is below the 5% threshold. This exception ensures that very large events are recognized in a timely manner using the latest available information.

All non-mandatory events not covered by the accelerated implementation rule (including but not limited to private placements, acquisition of private companies, and conversion of non-index share lines) will be implemented quarterly coinciding with the third Friday of the third month in each calendar quarter. In addition, events that were not implemented under the accelerated implementation rule but were found to have been eligible, (e.g. due to lack of publicly available information at the time of the event) are implemented as part of a quarterly rebalancing.

Announcement Policy

For accelerated implementation, S&P will generally provide two (2) business days’ notice for all non-US listed stocks and US listed depositary receipts, and one (1) business days’ notice for all non-depositary receipt US listed stocks.

IWF Updates

Accelerated implementation for events less than $1 billion will include an adjustment to the company’s IWF only to the extent that such an IWF change helps the new float share total mimic the shares available in the offering. To minimize unnecessary turnover, these IWF changes do not need to meet any minimum threshold requirement for implementation. Any IWF change resulting in an IWF of 0.96 or greater is rounded up to 1.00 at the next annual IWF review.

IWF changes will only be made at the quarterly review if the change represents at least 5% of total current shares outstanding and is related to a single corporate action that did not qualify for the accelerated implementation rule.

Quarterly share change events resulting from the conversion of derivative securities, acquisitions of private companies, or acquisitions of non-index companies that do not trade on a major exchange are considered to be available to investors unless there is explicit information stating that the new owner is a strategic holder.

Other than the situations described above, please note that IWF changes are only made at the annual IWF review.

Share Updates

For companies with multiple share class lines, the criteria specified under the heading “Accelerated Implementation Rule” above apply to each individual multiple share class line rather than total company shares.

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Exceptions:

Any non- fully paid or non-fully settled offering such as forward sales agreements are not eligible for accelerated implementation. Share updates resulting from completion of subscription receipts terms or the settlement of forward sale agreements are updated at a future quarterly share rebalance.

Rebalancing Guidelines – Share/IWF Freeze

A share/IWF freeze period is implemented during each quarterly rebalancing. The freeze period begins after the market close on the Tuesday prior to the second Friday of each rebalancing month (i.e. March, June, September, and December) and ends after the market close on the third Friday of the rebalancing month. Pro-forma files are normally released after the market close on the second Friday, one week prior to the rebalancing effective date. In September, preliminary share and float data is released on the first Friday of the month. However, the share freeze period for September follows the same schedule as the other three quarterly share freeze periods. For illustration purposes, if rebalancing pro-forma files are scheduled to be released on Friday, March 13, the share/IWF freeze period will begin after the close of trading on Tuesday, March 10 and will end after the close of trading the following Friday, March 20 (i.e. the third Friday of the rebalancing month).

During the share/IWF freeze period, shares and IWFs are not changed except for mandatory corporate action events (such as merger activity, stock splits, and rights offerings), and the accelerated implementation rule is suspended. The suspension includes all changes that qualify for accelerated implementation and would typically be announced or effective during the share/IWF freeze period. At the end of the freeze period all suspended changes will be announced on the third Friday of the rebalancing month and implemented five business days after the quarterly rebalancing effective date.

Adjustments for Corporate Actions

There is a large range of corporate actions that may affect companies included in the S&P 500® Index. Certain corporate actions require S&P to recalculate the share count or the float adjustment or to make an adjustment to the divisor to prevent the value of the S&P 500® Index from changing as a result of the corporate action. This helps ensure that the movement of the S&P 500® Index does not reflect the corporate actions of individual companies in the S&P 500® Index.

Spin-Offs

As a general policy, a spin-off security is added to the S&P 500® Index on the ex-date at a price of zero (with no divisor adjustment) and will remain in the S&P 500® Index for at least one trading day. The spin-off security will remain in the S&P 500® Index if it meets all eligibility criteria. If the spin-off security is determined ineligible to remain in the S&P 500® Index, it will generally be removed after at least one day of regular way trading (with a divisor adjustment). The weight of the spin-off being deleted is reinvested across all the index components proportionately such that the relative weights of all index components are unchanged. The net change in index market capitalization will cause a divisor change.

Companies that are spun off from a constituent of the S&P 500® Index do not need to meet the eligibility criteria for new constituents, but they should be considered U.S. domiciled for index purposes. At the discretion of the Index Committee, a spin-off company may be retained in the S&P 500® Index if the Index Committee determines it has a total market capitalization representative of the S&P 500® Index. If the spin-off company’s estimated market capitalization is below the minimum unadjusted company market capitalization for the S&P 500® Index but there are other constituent companies in the S&P 500® Index that have a significantly lower total market capitalization than the spin-off company, the Index Committee may decide to retain the spin-off company in the S&P 500® Index.

Several additional types of corporate actions, and their related treatment, are listed in the table below.

Corporate Action

Treatment

Company addition/deletion

Addition

Companies are added at the float market capitalization weight. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

Deletion

The weights of all stocks in the index will proportionally change. Relative weights will stay the same. The index divisor will change due to the net change in the index market capitalization

Change in shares outstanding

Increasing (decreasing) the shares outstanding increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the index. The change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

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Split/reverse split

Shares outstanding are adjusted by split ratio. Stock price is adjusted by split ratio. There is no change to the index market capitalization and no divisor adjustment.

Change in IWF

Increasing (decreasing) the IWF increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the index. A net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

Ordinary dividend

When a company pays an ordinary cash dividend, the index does not make any adjustments to the price or shares of the stock. As a result there are no divisor adjustments to the index.

Special dividend

The stock price is adjusted by the amount of the dividend. The net change to the index market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment

Rights offering

All rights offerings that are in the money on the ex-date are applied under the assumption the rights are fully subscribed. The stock price is adjusted by the value of the rights and the shares outstanding are increased by the rights ratio. The net change in market capitalization causes a divisor adjustment.

Any company that is removed from the S&P 500® Index, the S&P MidCap 400® Index or the S&P SmallCap 600® Index must wait a minimum of one year from its removal date before being reconsidered as a replacement candidate for the S&P 500® Index.

Recalculation Policy

S&P reserves the right to recalculate and republish the S&P 500® Index at its discretion in the event one of the following issues has occurred: (1) incorrect or revised closing price of one or more constituent securities; (2) missed or misapplied corporate action; (3) incorrect application of an index methodology; (4) late announcement of a corporate action; or (5) incorrect calculation or data entry error. The decision to recalculate the S&P 500® Index is made at the discretion of the index manager and/or index committee, as further discussed below.  The potential market impact or disruption resulting from a recalculation is considered when making any such decision.  In the event of an incorrect closing price, a missed or misapplied corporate action, a late announcement of a corporate action, or an incorrect calculation or data entry error that is discovered within two trading days of its occurrence, generally the S&P 500® Index is recalculated.  In the event any such event is discovered beyond the two trading day period, the index committee shall decide whether the S&P 500® Index should be recalculated. In the event of an incorrect application of the methodology that results in the incorrect composition and/or weighting of index constituents, the index committee shall determine whether or not to recalculate the S&P 500® Index following specified guidelines. In the event that the S&P 500® Index is recalculated, it shall be done within a reasonable timeframe following the detection and review of the issue.

Calculations and Pricing Disruptions

Closing levels for the S&P 500® Index are calculated by S&P based on the closing price of the individual constituents of the S&P 500® Index as set by their primary exchange. Closing prices are received by S&P from one of its third party vendors and verified by comparing them with prices from an alternative vendor. The vendors receive the closing price from the primary exchanges. Real-time intraday prices are calculated similarly without a second verification. Official end-of-day calculations are based on each stock’s primary market closing price. Prices used for the calculation of real time index values are based on the “Consolidated Tape”. The Consolidated Tape is an aggregation of trades for each constituent over all regional exchanges and trading venues and includes the primary exchange. If there is a failure or interruption on one or more exchanges, real-time calculations will continue as long as the “Consolidated Tape” is operational.

If an interruption is not resolved prior to the market close, official closing prices will be determined by following the hierarchy set out in NYSE Rule 123C. A notice is published on the S&P website at spglobal.com indicating any changes to the prices used in S&P 500® Index calculations. In extreme circumstances, S&P may decide to delay index adjustments or not publish the S&P 500® Index. Real-time indices are not restated.


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Unexpected Exchange Closures

An unexpected market/exchange closure occurs when a market/exchange fully or partially fails to open or trading is temporarily halted. This can apply to a single exchange or to a market as a whole, when all of the primary exchanges are closed and/or not trading. Unexpected market/exchange closures are usually due to unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, inclement weather, outages, or other events.

To a large degree, S&P is dependent on the exchanges to provide guidance in the event of an unexpected exchange closure. S&P’s decision making is dependent on exchange guidance regarding pricing and mandatory corporate actions.

NYSE Rule 123C provides closing contingency procedures for determining an official closing price for listed securities if the exchange is unable to conduct a closing transaction in one or more securities due to a system or technical issue.

3:00 PM ET is the deadline for an exchange to determine its plan of action regarding an outage scenario. As such, S&P also uses 3:00 PM ET as the cutoff.

If all major exchanges fail to open or unexpectedly halt trading intraday due to unforeseen circumstances, S&P will take the following actions:

Market Disruption Prior to Open of Trading:

(i)

If all exchanges indicate that trading will not open for a given day, S&P will treat the day as an unscheduled market holiday. The decision will be communicated to clients as soon as possible through the normal channels. Indices containing multiple markets will be calculated as normal, provided that at least one market is open that day. Indices which only contain closed markets will not be calculated.

(ii)

If exchanges indicate that trading, although delayed, will open for a given day, S&P will begin index calculation when the exchanges open.

Market Disruption Intraday:

(i)

If exchanges indicate that trading will not resume for a given day, the S&P 500® Index level will be calculated using prices determined by the exchanges based on NYSE Rule 123C. Intraday S&P 500® Index values will continue to use the last traded composite price until the primary exchange publishes official closing prices.

License Agreement between S&P and GS Finance Corp.

The S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the S&P 500® Index are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and have been licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Goldman”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes by Goldman. Goldman’s notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices 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® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index or the S&P 500® Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to Goldman with respect to the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the S&P 500® Index is the licensing of these indices and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the S&P 500® Index are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Goldman or the notes. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of Goldman or the owners of the notes into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index or the S&P 500® Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the notes or the timing of the issuance or sale of the notes or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the notes are to be converted into cash. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index, the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Total Return Index, the S&P 500® Total Return Index or the S&P 500® Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.

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S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P 500® DAILY RISK CONTROL 5% USD EXCESS RETURN INDEX, THE S&P 500® DAILY RISK CONTROL 5% USD TOTAL RETURN INDEX, THE S&P 500® TOTAL RETURN INDEX OR THE S&P 500® INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY GOLDMAN, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P 500® DAILY RISK CONTROL 5% USD EXCESS RETURN INDEX, THE S&P 500® DAILY RISK CONTROL 5% USD TOTAL RETURN INDEX, THE S&P 500® TOTAL RETURN INDEX OR S&P 500® INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND GOLDMAN, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

 

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Historical Closing Levels of the Excess Return Index

The closing level of the Excess Return index has fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations. In particular, the Excess Return index has recently experienced extreme and unusual volatility. Any historical upward or downward trend in the closing level of the Excess Return index during the period shown below is not an indication that the Excess Return index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the life of your notes.

You should not take the historical closing levels of the Excess Return index as an indication of the future performance of the Excess Return index, including because of the recent volatility described above. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of the Excess Return index or the index stocks will result in your receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of your notes, or that you will not incur a loss on your investment, on the stated maturity date.

Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the Excess Return index.  Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the relevant levels of the Excess Return index between the date of this prospectus supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes and, given the recent volatility described above, you should pay particular attention to recent levels of the Excess Return index.  The actual performance of the Excess Return index over the life of the offered notes, as well as the cash settlement amount, may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.

The graph below shows the daily historical closing levels of the Excess Return index from January 1, 2016 through July 27, 2021. As a result, the following graph does not reflect the global financial crisis which began in 2008, which had a materially negative impact on the price of most equity securities and, as a result, the level of most equity indices. We obtained the closing levels in the graph below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification.

Historical Performance of the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index


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Comparative Performance of the Excess Return Index, the Risk Control Index and the Total Return Index

The graph below shows the performance of the Excess Return index, the Risk Control index and the Total Return index from January 1, 2016 through July 27, 2021. For comparative purposes, each of the Excess Return index, the Risk Control index and the Total Return index has been adjusted to have a closing level of 100.00 on January 1, 2016 by dividing the closing level of that index on each day by the closing level of that Risk Control index on January 1, 2016 and multiplying by 100.00. We obtained the closing levels used to determine the adjusted closing levels in the graph below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification. You should not take the historical performance of the Excess Return index, the Risk Control index or the Total Return index as an indication of the future performance of such index.

Historical Performance of the Excess Return Index (SPXT5UE Index), the Risk Control Index (SPXT5UT Index) total and the Total Return Index (SPTR Index)

 

The graph above illustrates the historical performance of the Excess Return index relative to the Risk Control index and the Total Return index over the time period shown and provides an indication of how the relative performance of the daily returns of the Excess Return index has historically been relative to the Risk Control index and the Total Return index. The Excess Return index will always underperform the Risk Control index.


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Historical Performance of Overnight U.S. Dollar LIBOR

The graph below illustrates the historical levels of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate from January 1, 2016 through July 27, 2021. The level of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate has fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate during the period shown below is not an indication that the level of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the life of the notes. See “Interest Rate Benchmark May Be Discontinued” and “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — Regulation and Reform of “Benchmarks”, Including LIBOR and Other Types of Benchmarks, May Cause such “Benchmarks” to Perform Differently Than in the Past, or to Disappear Entirely, or Have Other Consequences Which Cannot be Predicted” for more information about overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate.

You should not take the historical level of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate as an indication of future levels of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate.

Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate. The actual levels of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate during the term of the notes may bear little relation to the historical levels of the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate shown below.

We obtained the overnight U.S. dollar LIBOR rate shown in the graph below from Reuters, without independent verification.

Historical Performance of the Overnight U.S. Dollar LIBOR Rate

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus.

The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. It applies to you only if you hold your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:

a dealer in securities or currencies;

a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities holdings;

a bank;

a regulated investment company;

a life insurance company;

a tax-exempt organization;

a partnership;

an accrual method taxpayer subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of its use of financial statements;

a person that owns the notes as a hedge or that is hedged against interest rate risks;

a person that owns the notes as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes; or

a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar.

This section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and other tax consequences of your investment in the notes, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

United States Holders

This subsection describes the tax consequences to a United States holder. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of the notes and you are:

a citizen or resident of the United States;

a domestic corporation;

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust.

If you are not a United States holder, this section does not apply to you and you should refer to “— Non-United States Holders” below.

Your notes will be treated as debt instruments subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each accrual period will be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for your notes and applying rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment schedule. This method is applied by first determining the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes (the “comparable yield”) and then determining as of the issue date a payment schedule that would produce the comparable yield. These rules will generally have the effect of requiring you to include amounts in income in respect of your notes, even though you will not receive any payments from us until maturity.

We have determined that the comparable yield for the notes is equal to 1.79% per annum, compounded semi-annually with a projected payment at maturity of $1,132.86 based on an investment of $1,000.

Based on this comparable yield, if you are an initial holder that holds a note until maturity and you pay your taxes on a calendar year basis, we have determined that you would be required to report the following amounts as ordinary income,

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not taking into account any positive or negative adjustments you may be required to take into account based on the actual payments on the notes, from the note each year:


Accrual Period

 

Interest Deemed to Accrue During Accrual Period (per $1,000 note)

 

Total Interest Deemed to Have Accrued from Original Issue Date (per $1,000 note) as of End of Accrual Period

July 30, 2021 through December 31, 2021

 

  $7.46

 

   $7.46

January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022

 

$18.11

 

  $25.57

January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023

 

$18.44

 

  $44.01

January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024

 

$18.78

 

  $62.79

January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025

 

$19.11

 

  $81.90

January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026

 

$19.45

 

$101.35

January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027

 

$19.80

 

$121.15

January 1, 2028 through July 31, 2028

 

$11.71

 

$132.86

 

You are required to use the comparable yield and projected payment schedule that we compute in determining your interest accruals in respect of your notes, unless you timely disclose and justify on your U.S. federal income tax return the use of a different comparable yield and projected payment schedule.

The comparable yield and projected payment schedule are not provided to you for any purpose other than the determination of your interest accruals in respect of your notes, and we make no representation regarding the amount of contingent payments with respect to your notes.

If you purchase your notes at a price other than their adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes, you must determine the extent to which the difference between the price you paid for your notes and their adjusted issue price is attributable to a change in expectations as to the projected payment schedule, a change in interest rates, or both, and reasonably allocate the difference accordingly. The adjusted issue price of your notes will equal your notes’ original issue price plus any interest deemed to be accrued on your notes (under the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments) as of the time you purchase your notes. The original issue price of your notes will be the first price at which a substantial amount of the notes is sold to persons other than bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers. Therefore, you may be required to make the adjustments described above even if you purchase your notes in the initial offering if you purchase your notes at a price other than the issue price.

If the adjusted issue price of your notes is greater than the price you paid for your notes, you must make positive adjustments increasing (i) the amount of interest that you would otherwise accrue and include in income each year, and (ii) the amount of ordinary income (or decreasing the amount of ordinary loss) recognized upon maturity by the amounts allocated under the previous paragraph to each of interest and the projected payment schedule; if the adjusted issue price of your notes is less than the price you paid for your notes, you must make negative adjustments, decreasing (i) the amount of interest that you must include in income each year, and (ii) the amount of ordinary income (or increasing the amount of ordinary loss) recognized upon maturity by the amounts allocated under the previous paragraph to each of interest and the projected payment schedule. Adjustments allocated to the interest amount are not made until the date the daily portion of interest accrues.

Because any Form 1099-OID that you receive will not reflect the effects of positive or negative adjustments resulting from your purchase of notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes, you are urged to consult with your tax advisor as to whether and how adjustments should be made to the amounts reported on any Form 1099-OID.

You will recognize gain or loss upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the cash amount you receive at such time and your adjusted basis in your notes. In general, your adjusted

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basis in your notes will equal the amount you paid for your notes, increased by the amount of interest you previously accrued with respect to your notes (in accordance with the comparable yield and the projected payment schedule for your notes) and increased or decreased by the amount of any positive or negative adjustment, respectively, that you are required to make if you purchase your notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price determined for tax purposes.

Any gain you recognize upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes will be ordinary interest income. Any loss you recognize at such time will be ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes, and thereafter, capital loss. If you are a noncorporate holder, you would generally be able to use such ordinary loss to offset your income only in the taxable year in which you recognize the ordinary loss and would generally not be able to carry such ordinary loss forward or back to offset income in other taxable years.

Non-United States Holders

If you are a Non-United States holder, please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Non-United States Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the tax consequences relevant to you. You are a Non-United States holder if you are the beneficial owner of the notes and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

a nonresident alien individual;

a foreign corporation; or

an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from the notes.

The Treasury Department has issued regulations under which amounts paid or deemed paid on certain financial instruments (“871(m) financial instruments”) that are treated as attributable to U.S.-source dividends could be treated, in whole or in part depending on the circumstances, as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty), which in the case of amounts you receive upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, could be collected via withholding. If these regulations were to apply to the notes, we may be required to withhold such taxes if any U.S.-source dividends are paid on the stocks included in the index during the term of the notes. We could also require you to make certifications (e.g., an applicable Internal Revenue Service Form W-8) prior to the maturity of the notes in order to avoid or minimize withholding obligations, and we could withhold accordingly (subject to your potential right to claim a refund from the Internal Revenue Service) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory. If withholding was required, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld. These regulations generally will apply to 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2023, but will also apply to certain 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) that have a delta (as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations) of one and are issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2017.  In addition, these regulations will not apply to financial instruments that reference a “qualified index” (as defined in the regulations).  We have determined that, as of the issue date of your notes, your notes will not be subject to withholding under these rules.  In certain limited circumstances, however, you should be aware that it is possible for Non-United States holders to be liable for tax under these rules with respect to a combination of transactions treated as having been entered into in connection with each other even when no withholding is required.  You should consult your tax advisor concerning these regulations, subsequent official guidance and regarding any other possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding

Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt Securities—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to the FATCA withholding rules.


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EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

This section is only relevant to you if you are an insurance company or the fiduciary of a pension plan or an employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan, an IRA or a Keogh Plan) proposing to invest in the notes.

The U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), prohibit certain transactions (“prohibited transactions”) involving the assets of an employee benefit plan that is subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (including individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and other plans described in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code) (a “Plan”) and certain persons who are “parties in interest” (within the meaning of ERISA) or “disqualified persons” (within the meaning of the Code) with respect to the Plan; governmental plans may be subject to similar prohibitions unless an exemption applies to the transaction. The assets of a Plan may include assets held in the general account of an insurance company that are deemed “plan assets” under ERISA or assets of certain investment vehicles in which the Plan invests. Each of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and certain of its affiliates may be considered a “party in interest” or a “disqualified person” with respect to many Plans, and, accordingly, prohibited transactions may arise if the notes are acquired by or on behalf of a Plan unless those notes are acquired and held pursuant to an available exemption. In general, available exemptions include: transactions effected on behalf of that Plan by a “qualified professional asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 84-14) or an “in-house asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 96-23), transactions involving insurance company general accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 95-60), transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 90 1), transactions involving bank collective investment funds (prohibited transaction exemption 91-38) and transactions with service providers under Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code where the Plan receives no less and pays no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code). The person making the decision on behalf of a Plan or a governmental plan shall be deemed, on behalf of itself and the plan, by purchasing and holding the notes, or exercising any rights related thereto, to represent that (a) the plan will receive no less and pay no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code) in connection with the purchase and holding of the notes, (b) none of the purchase, holding or disposition of the notes or the exercise of any rights related to the notes will result in a nonexempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code (or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation), and (c) neither The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. nor any of its affiliates is a “fiduciary” (within the meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA) or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation) with respect to the purchaser or holder in connection with such person’s acquisition, disposition or holding of the notes, or as a result of any exercise by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or any of its affiliates of any rights in connection with the notes, and neither The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. nor any of its affiliates has provided investment advice in connection with such person’s acquisition, disposition or holding of the notes.

If you are an insurance company or the fiduciary of a pension plan or an employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan, an IRA or a Keogh plan) and propose to invest in the notes, you should consult your legal counsel.

 


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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

GS Finance Corp. will sell to GS&Co., and GS&Co. will purchase from GS Finance Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this prospectus supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, and to UBS Financial Services Inc. at such price less a concession not in excess of 3.5% of the face amount.

We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on July 30, 2021. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

In the future, GS&Co. or other affiliates of GS Finance Corp. may repurchase and resell the offered notes in market-making transactions, with resales being made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of resale or at negotiated prices. GS Finance Corp. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $15,000. For more information about the plan of distribution and possible market-making activities, see “Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus.

We have been advised by GS&Co. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither GS&Co. nor any of our other affiliates that makes a market is obligated to do so and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.

The notes may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (“EEA”). Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. For the purposes of this provision:

(a)the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:

 

(i)

a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”); or

 

(ii)

a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or

 

(iii)

not a qualified investor as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129; and

(b)

the expression an “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes.

The notes may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the United Kingdom has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation. For the purposes of this provision:

(a)

the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:

 

(i)

a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”); or

 

(ii)

a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the “FSMA”) and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA;

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(iii)

or not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; and

(b)

the expression an “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes.

Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of the notes may only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to GS Finance Corp  or The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

All applicable provisions of the FSMA must be complied with in respect to anything done by any person in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

The notes may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance; and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere) which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.

This prospectus supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA. 

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore (“Regulation 32”).

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no

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consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.

The notes are not offered, sold or advertised, directly or indirectly, in, into or from Switzerland on the basis of a public offering and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other offering or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Accordingly, neither this prospectus supplement nor any accompanying prospectus supplement, prospectus or other marketing material constitute a prospectus as defined in article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus as defined in article 32 of the Listing Rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Any resales of the notes by the underwriters thereof may only be undertaken on a private basis to selected individual investors in compliance with Swiss law. This prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to others or otherwise made available in Switzerland without our prior written consent. By accepting this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement or by subscribing to the notes, investors are deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to abide by these restrictions. Investors are advised to consult with their financial, legal or tax advisers before investing in the notes.

Conflicts of Interest

GS& Co. is an affiliate of GS Finance Corp and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. GS&Co. will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES AND GUARANTEE

In the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, as counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., when the notes offered by this prospectus supplement have been executed and issued by GS Finance Corp., such notes have been authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and such notes have been delivered against payment as contemplated herein, (a) such notes will be valid and binding obligations of GS Finance Corp., enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above and (b) the guarantee with respect to such notes will be a valid and binding obligation of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and the genuineness of signatures and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of such counsel dated February 23, 2021, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.6 to the registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. on February 23, 2021.


 

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We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is an offer to sell only the notes offered hereby, but only under the circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement

 

 

Page

Summary Information

S-2

Hypothetical Examples

S-4

Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes

S-8

Specific Terms of Your Notes

S-18

Use of Proceeds

S-23

Hedging

S-23

The Index

S-24

Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

S-37

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

S-40

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

S-41

   Conflicts of Interest

S-43

Validity of the Notes and Guarantee

S-44

 

Prospectus Supplement dated March 22, 2021

Use of Proceeds

S-2

Description of Notes We May Offer

S-3

Considerations Relating to Indexed Notes

S-11

United States Taxation

S-14

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

S-15

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

S-16

Validity of the Notes and Guarantees

S-18

 

Prospectus dated March 22, 2021

Available Information

2

Prospectus Summary

4

Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements

9

Use of Proceeds 

14

Description of Debt Securities We May Offer

15

Description of Warrants We May Offer

71

Description of Units We May Offer

87

GS Finance Corp.

92

Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance

94

Considerations Relating to Indexed Securities

103

Considerations Relating to Securities Denominated or Payable in or Linked to a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency

104

United States Taxation

107

Plan of Distribution

122

Conflicts of Interest

125

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

126

Validity of the Securities and Guarantees

127

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

127

Cautionary Statement Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

128

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$427,000

 

 

GS Finance Corp.

 

 

 

Market-Linked Notes Linked to the S&P 500® Daily Risk Control 5% USD Excess Return Index due 2028

 

 

guaranteed by

 

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.

Selling Agent

 

 



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