| Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) Registration Statement No. 333-233663 (To Prospectus dated December 16, 2019, Prospectus Supplement dated December 16, 2019 and Product Supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1 dated December 16, 2019) |
$10 principal amount per unit CUSIP No. 13607H524 |
Pricing Date Settlement Date Maturity Date |
January 28, 2021 February 4, 2021 January 30, 2026 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index
§ Maturity of approximately five years
§ 128.40% leveraged upside exposure to increases in the Index
§ 1-to-1 downside exposure to decreases in the Index, with up to 100.00% of the principal amount at risk
§ All payments occur at maturity and are subject to the credit risk of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
§ No periodic interest payments
§ In addition to the underwriting discount set forth below, the notes include a hedging-related charge of $0.075 per unit. See “Structuring the Notes”
§ Limited secondary market liquidity, with no exchange listing
§ The notes are unsecured debt securities and are not savings accounts or insured deposits of a bank. The notes are not insured or guaranteed by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, Canada, or any other jurisdiction |
The notes are being issued by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”). There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security, including different investment risks and certain additional costs. See “Risk Factors” and “Additional Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-6 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1.
The initial estimated value of the notes as of the pricing date is $9.735 per unit, which is less than the public offering price listed below. See “Summary” on the following page, “Risk Factors” beginning on page TS-6 of this term sheet and “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-13 of this term sheet for additional information. The actual value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.
_________________________
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Note Prospectus (as defined below) is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
_________________________
| Per Unit | Total | |
| Public offering price(1) | $ 10.00 | $ 9,093,340.00 |
| Underwriting discount(1) | $ 0.25 | $ 210,271.00 |
| Proceeds, before expenses, to CIBC | $ 9.75 | $ 8,883,069.00 |
| (1) | The public offering price and the underwriting discount for an aggregate of 350,000 units purchased in combined transactions with the investor’s household in this offering of 300,000 units or more are $9.95 per unit and $0.20 per unit, respectively. See “Supplement to the Plan of Distribution” below. |
The notes:
| Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value |
BofA Securities
January 28, 2021
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
|
Summary
The Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 (the “notes”) are our senior unsecured debt securities. The notes are not guaranteed or insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency of the United States, Canada or any other jurisdiction or secured by collateral. The notes are not bail-inable debt securities (as defined on page 6 of the prospectus). The notes will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Any payments due on the notes, including any repayment of principal, will be subject to the credit risk of CIBC. The notes provide you a leveraged return, if the Ending Value of the Market Measure, which is the Russell 1000® Value Index (the “Index”), is greater than the Starting Value. If the Ending Value is less than the Starting Value, you will lose all or a portion of the principal amount of your notes. Any payments on the notes will be calculated based on the $10 principal amount per unit and will depend on the performance of the Index, subject to our credit risk. See “Terms of the Notes” below.
The economic terms of the notes (including the Participation Rate) are based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate we would pay to borrow funds through the issuance of market-linked notes, and the economic terms of certain related hedging arrangements. Our internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed rate debt securities. This difference in funding rate, as well as the underwriting discount and the hedging-related charge described below, reduced the economic terms of the notes to you and the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date. Due to these factors, the public offering price you pay to purchase the notes is greater than the initial estimated value of the notes.
On the cover page of this term sheet, we have provided the initial estimated value for the notes. This initial estimated value was determined based on our pricing models, and was based on our internal funding rate on the pricing date, market conditions and other relevant factors existing at that time, and our assumptions about market parameters. For more information about the initial estimated value and the structuring of the notes, see “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-13.
| Terms of the Notes | Redemption Amount Determination | |
| Issuer: | Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC ”) | On the maturity date, you will receive a cash payment per unit determined as follows: |
| Principal Amount: | $10.00 per unit |  |
| Term: | Approximately five years | |
| Market Measure: | The Russell 1000® Value Index (Bloomberg symbol: “RLV”), a price return index. | |
| Starting Value: | 1,358.50 | |
| Ending Value: | The average of the closing levels of the Market Measure on each calculation day occurring during the Maturity Valuation Period. The scheduled calculation days are subject to postponement in the event of Market Disruption Events, as described beginning on page PS-18 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1. | |
| Threshold Value: | 1,358.50 (100% of the Starting Value) | |
| Participation Rate: | 128.40% | |
| Maturity Valuation Period: | January 21, 2026, January 22, 2026, January 23, 2026, January 26, 2026 and January 27, 2026 | |
| Fees and Charges: | The underwriting discount of $0.25 per unit listed on the cover page and the hedging-related charge of $0.075 per unit described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-13. | |
| Calculation Agent: | BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”) | |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-2 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
|
The terms and risks of the notes are contained in this term sheet and in the following:
| § | Product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1 dated December 16, 2019: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1045520/000110465919073347/a19-25016_3424b5.htm |
| § | Prospectus supplement dated December 16, 2019: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1045520/000110465919073058/a19-24965_3424b2.htm |
| § | Prospectus dated December 16, 2019: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1045520/000110465919073027/a19-24965_1424b3.htm |
These documents (together, the “Note Prospectus”)
have been filed as part of a registration statement with the SEC, which may, without cost, be accessed on the SEC website as indicated
above or obtained from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”) or BofAS by calling 1-800-294-1322.
Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, for information about us and this offering.
Any prior or contemporaneous oral statements and any other written materials you may have received are superseded by the Note Prospectus.
Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet have the meanings set forth in product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1.
Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this document to “we,” “us,”
“our,” or similar references are to CIBC.
Investor Considerations
You may wish to consider an investment in the notes if:
| § | You anticipate that the Index will increase from the Starting Value to the Ending Value. |
| § | You are willing to risk a loss of principal if the Index decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value. |
| § | You are willing to forgo the interest payments that are paid on conventional interest bearing debt securities. |
| § | You are willing to forgo dividends or other benefits of owning the stocks included in the Index. |
| § | You are willing to accept a limited or no market for sales prior to maturity, and understand that the market prices for the notes, if any, will be affected by various factors, including our actual and perceived creditworthiness, our internal funding rate and fees and charges on the notes. |
| § | You are willing to assume our credit risk, as issuer of the notes, for all payments under the notes, including the Redemption Amount. |
The notes may not be an appropriate investment for you if:
| § | You believe that the Index will decrease from the Starting Value to the Ending Value or that it will not increase sufficiently over the term of the notes to provide you with your desired return. |
| § | You seek principal repayment or preservation of capital. |
| § | You seek interest payments or other current income on your investment. |
| § | You want to receive dividends or other distributions paid on the stocks included in the Index. |
| § | You seek an investment for which there will be a liquid secondary market. |
| § | You are unwilling or are unable to take market risk on the notes or to take our credit risk as issuer of the notes. |
We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-3 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
|
Hypothetical Payout Profile and Examples of Payments at Maturity
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes®
|
This graph reflects the returns on the notes, based on the Threshold Value of 100% of the Starting Value and the Participation Rate of 128.40%. The green line reflects the returns on the notes, while the dotted gray line reflects the returns of a direct investment in the stocks included in the Index, excluding dividends.
This graph has been prepared for purposes of illustration only.
|
The following table and examples are for purposes of illustration only. They are based on hypothetical values and show hypothetical returns on the notes. They illustrate the calculation of the Redemption Amount and total rate of return based on a hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00, a hypothetical Threshold Value of 100.00, the Participation Rate of 128.40% and a range of hypothetical Ending Values. The actual amount you receive and the resulting total rate of return will depend on the actual Starting Value, Threshold Value and Ending Value, and whether you hold the notes to maturity. The following examples do not take into account any tax consequences from investing in the notes.
For recent actual levels of the Market Measure, see “The Index” section below. The Index is a price return index and as such the Ending Value will not include any income generated by dividends paid on the stocks included in the Index, which you would otherwise be entitled to receive if you invested in those stocks directly. In addition, all payments on the notes are subject to issuer credit risk.
|
Ending Value |
Percentage
Change from the |
Redemption
Amount |
Total
Rate of Return on the |
| 0.00 | -100.00% | $0.000 | -100.00% |
| 50.00 | -50.00% | $5.000 | -50.00% |
| 75.00 | -25.00% | $7.500 | -25.00% |
| 80.00 | -20.00% | $8.000 | -20.00% |
| 90.00 | -10.00% | $9.000 | -10.00% |
| 95.00 | -5.00% | $9.500 | -5.00% |
| 100.00(1)(2) | 0.00% | $10.000 | 0.00% |
| 110.00 | 10.00% | $11.284 | 12.84% |
| 120.00 | 20.00% | $12.568 | 25.68% |
| 130.00 | 30.00% | $13.852 | 38.52% |
| 140.00 | 40.00% | $15.136 | 51.36% |
| 150.00 | 50.00% | $16.420 | 64.20% |
| 160.00 | 60.00% | $17.704 | 77.04% |
| (1) | This is the hypothetical Threshold Value. |
| (2) | The hypothetical Starting Value of 100.00 used in these examples has been chosen for illustrative purposes only. The actual Starting Value is 1,358.50, which was the closing level of the Market Measure on the pricing date. |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-4 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
|
Redemption Amount Calculation Examples
| Example 1 | |
| The Ending Value is 50.00, or 50.00% of the Starting Value: | |
| Starting Value: 100.00 | |
| Threshold Value: 100.00 | |
| Ending Value: 50.00 | |
 |
= $5.00 Redemption Amount per unit |
| Example 2 | |
| The Ending Value is 150.00, or 150.00% of the Starting Value: | |
| Starting Value: 100.00 | |
| Ending Value: 150.00 | |
 |
= $16.420 Redemption Amount per unit |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-5 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
Risk Factors
There are important differences between the notes and a conventional debt security. An investment in the notes involves significant risks, including those listed below. You should carefully review the more detailed explanation of risks relating to the notes in the “Risk Factors” sections beginning on page PS-6 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1, page S-1 of the prospectus supplement, and page 1 of the prospectus identified above. We also urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting, and other advisors before you invest in the notes.
Structure-related Risks
| § | Depending on the performance of the Index as measured shortly before the maturity date, you may lose up to 100% of the principal amount. |
| § | Your return on the notes may be less than the yield you could earn by owning a conventional fixed or floating rate debt security of comparable maturity. |
| § | Your investment return may be less than a comparable investment directly in the stocks included in the Index. |
| § | Payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk, and actual or perceived changes in our creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the notes. If we become insolvent or are unable to pay our obligations, you may lose your entire investment. |
Valuation- and Market-related Risks
| § | Our initial estimated value of the notes is lower than the public offering price of the notes. The public offering price of the notes exceeds our initial estimated value because costs associated with selling and structuring the notes, as well as hedging the notes, all as further described in “Structuring the Notes” on page TS-13, are included in the public offering price of the notes. |
| § | Our initial estimated value does not represent future values of the notes and may differ from others’ estimates. Our initial estimated value is only an estimate, which was determined by reference to our internal pricing models when the terms of the notes were set. This estimated value was based on market conditions and other relevant factors existing at that time, our internal funding rate on the pricing date and our assumptions about market parameters, which can include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors. Different pricing models and assumptions could provide valuations for the notes that are greater or less than our initial estimated value. In addition, market conditions and other relevant factors in the future may change, and any assumptions may prove to be incorrect. On future dates, the market value of the notes could change significantly based on, among other things, changes in market conditions, including the level of the Index, our creditworthiness, interest rate movements and other relevant factors, which may impact the price at which MLPF&S, BofAS or any other party would be willing to buy notes from you in any secondary market transactions. Our estimated value does not represent a minimum price at which MLPF&S, BofAS or any other party would be willing to buy your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. |
| § | Our initial estimated value of the notes was not determined by reference to credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. The internal funding rate that was used in the determination of our initial estimated value of the notes generally represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. The discount is based on, among other things, our view of the funding value of the notes as well as the higher issuance, operational and ongoing liability management costs of the notes in comparison to those costs for our conventional fixed-rate debt. If we were to have used the interest rate implied by our conventional fixed-rate debt, we would expect the economic terms of the notes to be more favorable to you. Consequently, our use of an internal funding rate for market-linked notes had an adverse effect on the economic terms of the notes and the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date, and could have an adverse effect on any secondary market prices of the notes. |
| § | A trading market is not expected to develop for the notes. None of us, MLPF&S or BofAS is obligated to make a market for, or to repurchase, the notes. There is no assurance that any party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price in any secondary market. |
Conflict-related Risks
| § | Our business, hedging and trading activities, and those of MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates (including trades in shares of companies included in the Index), and any hedging and trading activities we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates engage in for our clients’ accounts, may affect the market value and return of the notes and may create conflicts of interest with you. |
| § | There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent, which is BofAS. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent. |
Market Measure-related Risks
| § | The Index sponsor may adjust the Index in a way that affects its level, and has no obligation to consider your interests. |
| § | You will have no rights of a holder of the securities represented by the Index, and you will not be entitled to receive securities or dividends or other distributions by the issuers of those securities. |
| § | While we, MLPF&S, BofAS or our respective affiliates may from time to time own securities of companies included in the Index, we, MLPF&S, BofAS and our respective affiliates do not control any company included in the Index, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company. |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-6 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
Tax-related Risks
| § | The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the notes are uncertain, and may be adverse to a holder of the notes. See “Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” below and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” beginning on page PS-26 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1. For a discussion of the Canadian federal income tax consequences of investing in the notes, see “Material Income Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the prospectus, as supplemented by the discussion under “Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations” herein. |
Additional Risk Factors
The investment strategy represented by the Index may not be successful.
The Index measures the capitalization-weighted performance of the stocks included in the Index that are determined by the sponsor of the Index to be value oriented, with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted and historical growth. The basic principle of a value investment strategy is to invest in stocks that are determined to be relatively cheap or “undervalued” under the assumption that the value of such stocks will increase over time as the market recognizes and reflects those stocks’ “fair” market value. However, stocks that are considered value stocks may fail to appreciate for extended periods of time, and may never realize their full potential value. In addition, stocks that are considered to be value oriented may have lower growth potential than other securities. Moreover, the selection methodology for the Index includes a significant bias against stocks with strong growth characteristics. Even if a value strategy with respect to the stocks included in the Index would generally be successful, the manner in which the Index implements its strategy may prove to be unsuccessful. As described below under “The Index”, the methodology of the Index has set parameters to determine whether a stock should be considered a “value” stock. The Index’s parameters may not effectively implement its value strategy, and there can be no assurance that it will select stocks that are value oriented, or that the Index’s methodology will not underperform any alternative implementation of such a strategy. Accordingly, the investment strategy represented by the Index may not be successful, and your investment in the notes may result in a loss. An investment in the notes may also provide a return that is less than an investment linked to the Index as a whole.
An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with mid-capitalization stocks.
Some of the stocks that constitute the Index are issued by mid-capitalization companies. Mid-capitalization companies may be less able to withstand adverse economic, market, trade and competitive conditions relative to larger companies. Mid-capitalization companies are less likely to pay dividends on their stocks, and the presence of a dividend payment could be a factor that limits downward stock price pressure under adverse market conditions. This may adversely affect the return on the notes.
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-7 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
The Index
All disclosures contained in this term sheet regarding the Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, method of calculation and changes in its components, have been derived from publicly available sources, which we have not independently verified. The information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by, FTSE Russell (the “Index sponsor”). The Index sponsor, which licenses the copyright and all other rights to the Index, has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue publication of, the Index. The consequences of the Index sponsor discontinuing publication of the Index are discussed in the section entitled “Description of LIRNs—Discontinuance of an Index” beginning on page PS-19 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1. None of us, the calculation agent, MLPF&S or BofAS accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the Index or any successor index.
General
The Index measures the capitalization-weighted price performance of the stocks included in the Russell 1000® Index that are determined by FTSE Russell to be value oriented, with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted and historical growth. The Russell 1000® Index tracks 1,000 U.S. large-capitalization stocks listed on eligible U.S. exchanges (the “Russell 1000 Stocks”). The Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “RLV.”
FTSE Russell’s Value and Growth Style Methodology
FTSE Russell uses a “non-linear probability” method to assign stocks to the Index and the Russell 1000® Growth Index (the “Growth Index”), an index that measures the capitalization-weighted price performance of the Russell 1000 Stocks determined by FTSE Russell to be growth oriented, with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted and historical growth. FTSE Russell uses three variables in the determination of value and growth. For value, book-to-price (B/P) ratio is used, while for growth, two variables—I/B/E/S forecast medium-term growth (2-year) and sales per share historical growth (5-year)—are used. The term “probability” is used to indicate the degree of certainty that a stock is value or growth based on its relative book-to-price (B/P) ratio, I/B/E/S forecast medium-term growth (2 year) and sales per share historical growth (5 year).
First, the Russell 1000 Stocks are ranked by their adjusted book-to-price ratio (B/P), their I/B/E/S forecast medium-term growth (2 year) and sales per share historical growth (5 year). These rankings are then converted to standardized units, where the value variable represents 50% of the score and the two growth variables represent the remaining 50%. Next, these units are combined to produce a composite value score (“CVS”).
The Russell 1000 Stocks are then ranked by their CVS, and a probability algorithm is applied to the CVS distribution to assign growth and value weights to each stock. In general, a stock with a lower CVS is considered growth, a stock with a higher CVS is considered value and a stock with a CVS in the middle range is considered to have both growth and value characteristics, and is weighted proportionately in the Growth Index and the Index. Stocks are always fully represented by the combination of their growth and value weights (e.g., a stock that is given a 20% weight in the Index will have an 80% weight in the Growth Index). Style index assignment for non-pricing vehicle share classes will be based on that of the pricing vehicle and assigned consistently across all additional share classes.
Stock A, in the figure below, is a security with 20% of its available shares assigned to the Index and the remaining 80% assigned to the Growth Index. The growth and value probabilities will always sum to 100%. Hence, the sum of a stock’s market capitalization in the Growth Index and the Index will always equal its market capitalization in the Russell 1000® Index.
In the figure above, the quartile breaks are calculated such that approximately 25% of the available market capitalization lies in each quartile. Stocks at the median are divided 50% in each of the Growth Index and the Index. Stocks below the first quartile are 100% in the Growth Index. Stocks above the third quartile are 100% in the Index. Stocks falling between the first and third quartile breaks are included in both the Growth Index and the Index to varying degrees, depending on how far they are above or below the median and how close they are to the first or third quartile breaks.
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-8 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
Roughly 70% of the available market capitalization is classified as all growth or all value. The remaining 30% have some portion of their market value in either the Index or the Growth Index, depending on their relative distance from the median value score. Note that there is a small position cutoff rule. If a stock’s weight is more than 95% in one style index, its weight is increased to 100% in that index.
In an effort to mitigate unnecessary turnover, FTSE Russell implements a banding methodology at the CVS level of the growth and value style algorithm. If a company’s CVS change from the previous year is greater than or equal to +/- 0.10 and if the company remains in the Russell 1000® Index, then the CVS remains unchanged during the next reconstitution process. Keeping the CVS static for these companies does not mean the probability (growth/value) will remain unchanged in all cases due to the relation of a CVS score to the overall index. However, this banding methodology is intended to reduce turnover caused by smaller, less meaningful movements while continuing to allow the larger, more meaningful changes to occur, signaling a true change in a company’s relation to the market.
In calculating growth and value weights, stocks with missing or negative values for B/P, or missing values for I/B/E/S growth (negative I/B/E/S growth is valid), or missing sales per share historical growth (6 years of quarterly numbers are required), are allocated by using the mean value score of the Russell 1000® Index, the Russell Global Sectors (or, beginning in September 2020, the Industry Classification Benchmark) industry, subsector or sector group of the Russell 1000® Index into which the company falls. Each missing (or negative B/P) variable is substituted with the industry, subsector or sector group independently. An industry must have five members or the substitution reverts to the subsector, and so forth to the sector. In addition, a weighted value score is calculated for securities with low analyst coverage for I/B/E/S medium-term growth. For securities with coverage by a single analyst, 2/3 of the industry, subsector, or sector group value score is weighted with 1/3 the security’s independent value score. For those securities with coverage by two analysts, 2/3 of the independent security’s value score is used and only 1/3 of the industry, subsector, or sector group is weighted. For those securities with at least three analysts contributing to the I/B/E/S medium-term growth, 100% of the independent security’s value score is used.
Selection of Stocks Underlying the Index
The Index is a sub-index of the Russell 3000E™ Index. To be eligible for inclusion in the Russell 3000E™ Index and, consequently, the Index, a company must meet the following criteria as of the rank day in May (except that initial public offerings (“IPOs”) are considered for inclusion on a quarterly basis):
| · | U.S. Equity Market. The company must be determined to be part of the U.S. equity market, meaning that its home country is the United States. If a company incorporates in, has a stated headquarters location in, and also trades in the same country (ADRs and ADSs are not eligible), the company is assigned to its country of incorporation. |
If any of the three criteria do not match, FTSE Russell then defines three Home Country Indicators (“HCIs”): country of incorporation, country of headquarters and country of the most liquid exchange as defined by two-year average daily dollar trading volume from all exchanges within a country. After the HCIs are defined, the next step in the country assignment involves an analysis of assets by location. FTSE Russell cross-compares the primary location of the company’s assets with the three HCIs. If the primary location of assets matches any of the HCIs, then the company is assigned to its primary asset location.
If there is not enough information to determine a company’s primary location of assets, FTSE Russell uses the primary location of the company’s revenue for the same cross-comparison and assigns the company to the appropriate country in a similar fashion. FTSE Russell uses an average of two years of assets or revenue data for analysis to reduce potential turnover.
If conclusive country details cannot be derived from assets or revenue, FTSE Russell assigns the company to the country in which its headquarters are located unless the country is a Benefit Driven Incorporation (“BDI”) country. If the country in which its headquarters are located is a BDI country, the company is assigned to the country of its most liquid stock exchange. The BDI countries are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten and Turks and Caicos Islands.
| · | U.S. Eligible Exchange. The following exchanges and markets are deemed to be eligible U.S. exchanges: the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE American, The Nasdaq Stock Market and NYSE Arca. Stocks that are not traded on an eligible U.S. exchange (Bulletin Board, Pink Sheet and over-the-counter securities, including securities for which prices are displayed on the FINRA Alternative Display Facility) are not eligible for inclusion. | |
| · | Minimum Closing Price. A stock must have a close price at or above $1.00 (on its primary exchange), subject to exceptions to reduce turnover. | |
| · | Minimum Total Market Capitalization. Companies with a total market capitalization less than $30 million are not eligible for inclusion. | |
| · | Minimum Free Float. Companies with 5.5% or less of their shares available in the marketplace are not eligible for inclusion. | |
| · | Company Structure. Companies structured in the following ways are not eligible for inclusion: royalty trusts, U.S. limited liability companies, closed-end investment companies, business development companies (and other companies that are required to report Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, as defined by the SEC), blank-check companies, special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), limited partnerships, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. | |
| · | UBTI. Real estate investment trusts and publicly traded partnerships that generate or have historically generated unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) and have not taken steps to block UBTI to equity holders are not eligible for inclusion. Information used to confirm UBTI impact includes the following publicly available sources: 10-K, SEC Form S-3, K-1, company annual report, dividend notices or company website. |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-9 |
|
Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
| · | Security Types. The following types of securities are not eligible for inclusion: preferred and convertible preferred stock, redeemable shares, participating preferred stock, warrants, rights, installment receipts and trust receipts. | |
| · | Minimum Voting Rights. As of August 2017, more than 5% of a company’s voting rights (aggregated across all of its equity securities, including, where identifiable, those that are not listed or trading) must be in the hands of unrestricted shareholders. Existing constituents have a 5 year grandfathering period to comply or they will be removed from the Index in September 2022. | |
| · | Multiple Share Classes. If an eligible company trades under multiple share classes, each share class is reviewed independently for eligibility for inclusion. Share classes in addition to the primary share class must meet the following minimum size, liquidity and float requirements to be eligible: (i) total market cap must be larger than $30 million; (ii) average daily dollar trading value must exceed that of the global median; and (iii) more than 5% of shares must be available in the marketplace. | |
Securities of eligible companies are included in the Index based on total market capitalization. Total market capitalization is determined by multiplying total outstanding shares by the market price (generally, the last price traded on the primary exchange of the share class with the highest two-year trading volume, subject to exceptions) as of the rank day in May (except that IPOs are considered for inclusion on a quarterly basis). Common stock, non-restricted exchangeable shares and partnership units/membership interests (but not operating partnership units of umbrella partnership real estate investment trusts) are used to calculate a company’s total market capitalization. If multiple share classes of common stock exist, they are combined to determine total shares outstanding; however, in cases where the common stock share classes act independently of each other (e.g., tracking stocks), each class is considered for inclusion separately. For merger and spin-off transactions that are effective between rank day in May and the Friday prior to annual reconstitution in June, the market capitalizations of the impacted securities are recalculated and membership is reevaluated as of the effective date of the corporate action.
The 4,000 securities with the greater total market capitalization become members of the Russell 3000E™ Index. The Index is a subset of the Russell 3000E™ Index. Market capitalization breakpoints are determined by the breaks between the rankings of companies (based on descending total market capitalization). Market capitalization breakpoints for the Index are determined by the break between the companies ranked #1 through #1,000. New members are assigned on the basis of the breakpoints, and existing members are reviewed to determine if they fall within a cumulative 5% market cap range around these new market capitalization breakpoints. If an existing member’s market cap falls within this cumulative 5% of the market capitalization breakpoint, it will remain in the Index rather than be moved to a different Russell index.
After membership is determined, a security’s shares are adjusted to include only those shares available to the public (“free float”). The purpose of this adjustment is to exclude from market calculations the capitalization that is not available for purchase and is not part of the investable opportunity set. Stocks in the Index are weighted by their available (also called float-adjusted) market capitalization. The following types of shares are removed from total market capitalization to arrive at free float or available market capitalization, based on information recorded in SEC corporate filings: officers’ and directors’ holdings, private holdings exceeding 10% of shares outstanding, institutional holdings exceeding 30% of shares outstanding, shares held by publicly listed companies, shares held by an Employee Stock Ownership Plan or a Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan; shares locked up during an IPO; direct government holdings; and indirect government holdings exceeding 10% of shares outstanding.
Reconstitution occurs on the last Friday in June. However, at times this date is too proximal to exchange closures and abbreviated exchange trading schedules when market liquidity is exceptionally low. In order to ensure proper liquidity in the markets, when the last Friday in June falls on the 29th or 30th, reconstitution will occur on the preceding Friday. A full calendar for reconstitution is made available each spring.
Corporate Actions and Events Affecting the Index
FTSE Russell applies corporate actions to the Index on a daily basis. FTSE Russell applies the following methodology guidelines, among others, when adjusting the Index in response to corporate actions:
| · | “No Replacement” Rule. Securities that leave the Index for any reason (e.g., mergers, acquisitions or other similar corporate activity) are not replaced. Thus, the number of securities in the Index over a year will fluctuate according to corporate activity. | |
| · | Statement of Principles and Adjustments for Specific Corporate Events. FTSE Russell has stated as general principles that the treatment of corporate events (a) should reflect how such events are likely to be dealt with in investment portfolios to maintain the portfolio structure in line with the target set out in the index objective and index methodology and (b) should normally be designed to minimize the trading activity required by investors to match the index performance. No assurance can be provided that corporate actions and events will be treated by FTSE Russell in a manner consistent with its statement of general principles. | |
In addition, FTSE Russell has established guidance for the treatment of corporate actions and events, including, but not limited to, dividends, capital repayments, companies converting to a REIT structure, share buybacks, rights issues, mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, split-offs, spin-offs, bankruptcies, insolvencies, liquidations and trading suspensions. However, because of the complexities involved in some cases, those guidelines are not definitive rules that will determine FTSE Russell’s actions in all circumstances. FTSE Russell reserves the right to determine the most appropriate method of implementation for any corporate event which is not covered by those guidelines or which is of a complex nature.
| · | Changes to Shares Outstanding and Free Float. The Index will be reviewed quarterly for updates to shares outstanding and to free floats used within the calculation of the Index. In March, September and December, shares outstanding and free float will be updated to reflect changes greater than 1% for cumulative shares in issue changes and changes greater than 3% (or 1%, for constituents with a free float of 15% or below) for cumulative free float changes. In June, the shares and free float updates |
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-10 |
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Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
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will be implemented regardless of size. Shares and free float updates can be triggered in some cases by certain events, such as some primary or secondary offerings.
The following graph shows the daily historical performance of the Index in the period from January 1, 2011 through January 28, 2021. We obtained this historical data from Bloomberg L.P. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg L.P. On the pricing date, the closing level of the Index was 1,358.50.
Historical Performance of the Index
This historical data on the Index is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of the Index or what the value of the notes may be. Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the Index during any period set forth above is not an indication that the level of the Index is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time over the term of the notes.
Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available sources for the levels of the Index.
License Agreement
We will enter into a non-exclusive license agreement with FTSE Russell whereby we, in exchange for a fee, are permitted to use the Index and its related trademarks in connection with certain securities, including the notes.
The license agreement between FTSE Russell and us will provide that the following language must be set forth when referring to any FTSE Russell indexes or the FTSE Russell trademarks in this term sheet:
“‘Russell 1000® Index’ and ‘Russell 3000® Index’ are trademarks of FTSE Russell and have been licensed for use by CIBC. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by FTSE Russell and FTSE Russell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes.
The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by FTSE Russell. FTSE Russell 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 these notes particularly or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance or a segment of the same. FTSE Russell’s publication of the Index in no way suggests or implies an opinion by FTSE Russell as to the advisability of investment in any or all of the notes upon which the Index is based. FTSE Russell’s only relationship to CIBC and its affiliates is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of FTSE Russell and of the Index which is determined, composed and calculated by FTSE Russell without regard to CIBC and its affiliates or the notes. FTSE Russell is not responsible for and has not reviewed the notes nor any associated literature or publications and FTSE Russell makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. FTSE Russell reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter, amend, terminate or in any way change the Index. FTSE Russell has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes.
FTSE RUSSELL DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND FTSE RUSSELL SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY CIBC AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES, INVESTORS, OWNERS OF THE NOTES, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. FTSE RUSSELL MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL FTSE RUSSELL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.”
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-11 |
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Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
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Supplement to the Plan of Distribution
Under our distribution agreement with BofAS, BofAS will purchase the notes from us as principal at the public offering price indicated on the cover of this term sheet, less the indicated underwriting discount. MLPF&S will in turn purchase the notes from BofAS for resale, and it will receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the notes in an amount up to the full amount of the underwriting discount set forth on the cover of this term sheet.
We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on a date that is greater than two business days following the pricing date. 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 the notes more than two business days prior to the original issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. In the original offering of the notes, the notes will be sold in minimum investment amounts of 100 units. If you place an order to purchase the notes, you are consenting to MLPF&S and/or one of its affiliates acting as a principal in effecting the transaction for your account.
MLPF&S and BofAS may repurchase and resell the notes, with repurchases and resales being made at prices related to then-prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, and these prices will include MLPF&S’s and BofAS’s trading commissions and mark-ups or mark-downs. MLPF&S and BofAS may act as principal or agent in these market-making transactions; however, neither is obligated to engage in any such transactions. At their discretion, for a short, undetermined initial period after the issuance of the notes, MLPF&S and BofAS may offer to buy the notes in the secondary market at a price that may exceed the initial estimated value of the notes. Any price offered by MLPF&S or BofAS for the notes will be based on then-prevailing market conditions and other considerations, including the performance of the Index and the remaining term of the notes. However, none of us, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates is obligated to purchase your notes at any price or at any time, and we cannot assure you that we, MLPF&S, BofAS or any of our respective affiliates will purchase your notes at a price that equals or exceeds the initial estimated value of the notes.
The value of the notes shown on your account statement will be based on BofAS’s estimate of the value of the notes if BofAS or another of its affiliates were to make a market in the notes, which it is not obligated to do. That estimate will be based upon the price that BofAS may pay for the notes in light of then-prevailing market conditions, and other considerations, as mentioned above, and will include transaction costs. At certain times, this price may be higher than or lower than the initial estimated value of the notes.
The distribution of the Note Prospectus in connection with these offers or sales will be solely for the purpose of providing investors with the description of the terms of the notes that was made available to investors in connection with their initial offering. Secondary market investors should not, and will not be authorized to, rely on the Note Prospectus for information regarding CIBC or for any purpose other than that described in the immediately preceding sentence.
The notes may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom (the “UK”). 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 UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”); or |
| (ii) | a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, “FSMA”) and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended), 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; or |
| (iii) | not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended) as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; and |
| (b) | the expression "offer" includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes. |
An investor’s household, as referenced on the cover of this term sheet, will generally include accounts held by any of the following, as determined by MLPF&S in its discretion and acting in good faith based upon information then available to MLPF&S:
• the investor’s spouse (including a domestic partner), siblings, parents, grandparents, spouse’s parents, children and grandchildren, but excluding accounts held by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews or any other family relationship not directly above or below the individual investor;
• a family investment vehicle, including foundations, limited partnerships and personal holding companies, but only if the beneficial owners of the vehicle consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; and
• a trust where the grantors and/or beneficiaries of the trust consist solely of the investor or members of the investor’s household as described above; provided that, purchases of the notes by a trust generally cannot be aggregated together with any purchases made by a trustee’s personal account.
Purchases in retirement accounts will not be considered part of the same household as an individual investor’s personal or other non-retirement account, except for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), simplified employee pension plans (“SEPs”), savings incentive
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-12 |
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Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
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match plan for employees (“SIMPLEs”), and single-participant or owners only accounts (i.e., retirement accounts held by self-employed individuals, business owners or partners with no employees other than their spouses).
Please contact your Merrill financial advisor if you have any questions about the application of these provisions to your specific circumstances or think you are eligible.
Structuring the Notes
The notes are our debt securities, the return on which is linked to the performance of the Index. As is the case for all of our debt securities, including our market-linked notes, the economic terms of the notes reflect our actual or perceived creditworthiness at the time of pricing. The internal funding rate we use in pricing the market-linked notes is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional fixed-rate debt securities of comparable maturity. This difference is based on, among other things, our view of the funding value of the notes as well as the higher issuance, operational and ongoing liability management costs of the notes in comparison to those costs for our conventional fixed-rate debt. This generally relatively lower internal funding rate, which is reflected in the economic terms of the notes, along with the fees and charges associated with market-linked notes, resulted in the initial estimated value of the notes on the pricing date being less than their public offering price.
At maturity, we are required to pay the Redemption Amount to holders of the notes, which will be calculated based on the performance of the Index and the $10 per unit principal amount. In order to meet these payment obligations, at the time we issue the notes, we may choose to enter into certain hedging arrangements (which may include call options, put options or other derivatives) with BofAS or one of its affiliates. The terms of these hedging arrangements are determined by seeking bids from market participants, including BofAS and its affiliates, and take into account a number of factors, including our creditworthiness, interest rate movements, the volatility of the Index, the tenor of the notes and the tenor of the hedging arrangements. The economic terms of the notes and their initial estimated value depend in part on the terms of these hedging arrangements.
BofAS has advised us that the hedging arrangements will include a hedging-related charge of approximately $0.075 per unit, reflecting an estimated profit to be credited to BofAS from these transactions. Since hedging entails risk and may be influenced by unpredictable market forces, additional profits and losses from these hedging arrangements may be realized by BofAS or any third party hedge providers.
For further information, see “Risk Factors—General Risks Relating to LIRNs” beginning on page PS-6 and “Use of Proceeds and Hedging” on page PS-15 of product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1.
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-13 |
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Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
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Summary of Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, our Canadian tax counsel, the following summary describes the principal Canadian federal income tax considerations under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Canadian Tax Act”) generally applicable at the date hereof to a purchaser who acquires beneficial ownership of a note pursuant to this term sheet and who for the purposes of the Canadian Tax Act and the regulations thereto and at all relevant times: (a) is neither resident nor deemed to be resident in Canada; (b) deals at arm’s length with CIBC and any transferee resident (or deemed to be resident) in Canada to whom the purchaser disposes of the note; (c) does not use or hold and is not deemed to use or hold the note in, or in the course of, carrying on a business in Canada; (d) is entitled to receive all payments (including any interest and principal) made on the note; and (e) is not a, and deals at arm’s length with any, “specified shareholder” of CIBC for purposes of the thin capitalization rules in the Canadian Tax Act (a “Non-Resident Holder”). A “specified shareholder” for these purposes generally includes a person who (either alone or together with persons with whom that person is not dealing at arm’s length for the purposes of the Canadian Tax Act) owns or has the right to acquire or control or is otherwise deemed to own 25% or more of CIBC’s shares determined on a votes or fair market value basis. Special rules which apply to non-resident insurers carrying on business in Canada and elsewhere are not discussed in this summary.
This summary is supplemental to and should be read together with the description of material Canadian federal income tax considerations relevant to a Non-Resident Holder owning notes under “Material Income Tax Consequences—Canadian Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus and a Non-Resident Holder should carefully read that description as well.
This summary is of a general nature only and is not intended to be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice to any particular Non-Resident Holder. Non-Resident Holders are advised to consult with their own tax advisors with respect to their particular circumstances.
Based on Canadian tax counsel’s understanding of the Canada Revenue Agency’s administrative policies and having regard to the terms of the notes, interest payable on the notes should not be considered to be “participating debt interest” as defined in the Canadian Tax Act and accordingly, a Non-Resident Holder should not be subject to Canadian non-resident withholding tax in respect of amounts paid or credited or deemed to have been paid or credited by CIBC on a note as, on account of or in lieu of payment of, or in satisfaction of, interest.
Non-Resident Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the consequences to them of a disposition of the notes to a person with whom they are not dealing at arm’s length for purposes of the Canadian Tax Act.
Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion is a brief summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to an investment in the notes. The following summary is not complete and is both qualified and supplemented by, or in some cases supplements, the discussion entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” in product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1, which you should carefully review prior to investing in the notes.
The U.S. federal income tax considerations of your investment in the notes are uncertain. No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how the notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the opinion of our tax counsel, Mayer Brown LLP, it would generally be reasonable to treat the notes as prepaid cash-settled derivative contracts. Pursuant to the terms of the notes, you agree to treat the notes in this manner for all U.S. federal income tax purposes. If this treatment is respected, you should generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, exchange, redemption or payment on maturity in an amount equal to the difference between the amount you receive at such time and the amount that you paid for your notes. Such gain or loss should generally be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your notes for more than one year. Non-U.S. holders should consult the section entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary – Non-U.S. Holders” in product supplement EQUITY INDICES LIRN-1.
The expected characterization of the notes is not binding on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or the courts. Thus, it is possible that the IRS would seek to characterize your notes in a manner that results in tax consequences to you that are different from those described above or in the accompanying product supplement. Such alternate treatments could include a requirement that a holder accrue ordinary income over the life of the notes or treat all gain or loss at maturity as ordinary gain or loss. For a more detailed discussion of certain alternative characterizations with respect to your notes and certain other considerations with respect to your investment in the notes, you should consider the discussion set forth in “U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary” of the product supplement. We are not responsible for any adverse consequences that you may experience as a result of any alternative characterization of the notes for U.S. federal income tax or other tax purposes.
We will not attempt to ascertain whether any of the entities whose stock is included in the Market Measure would be treated as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) or United States real property holding corporation (“USRPHC”), both as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If one or more of the entities whose stock is included in the Market Measure were so treated, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences might apply. You should refer to information filed with the SEC and other authorities by the entities whose stock is included in the Market Measure and consult your tax advisor regarding the possible consequences to you if one or more of the entities whose stock is included in the Market Measure is or becomes a PFIC or a USRPHC.
A “dividend equivalent” payment is treated as a dividend from sources within the United States and such payments generally would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax if paid to a non-U.S. holder. Under U.S. Treasury Department regulations, payments (including deemed payments) with respect to equity-linked instruments (“ELIs”) that are “specified ELIs” may be treated as dividend equivalents if such specified ELIs reference an interest in an “underlying security,” which is generally any interest in an entity taxable as a corporation
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-14 |
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Leveraged Index Return Notes® Linked to the Russell 1000® Value Index, due January 30, 2026 |
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for U.S. federal income tax purposes if a payment with respect to such interest could give rise to a U.S. source dividend. However, IRS guidance provides that withholding on dividend equivalent payments will not apply to specified ELIs that are not delta-one instruments and that are issued before January 1, 2023. Based on our determination that the notes are not “delta-one” instruments, non-U.S. holders should not be subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments, if any, under the notes. However, it is possible that the notes could be treated as deemed reissued for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the Market Measure or the notes, and following such occurrence the notes could be treated as subject to withholding on dividend equivalent payments. Non-U.S. holders that enter, or have entered, into other transactions in respect of the Market Measure or the notes should consult their tax advisors as to the application of the dividend equivalent withholding tax in the context of the notes and their other transactions. If any payments are treated as dividend equivalents subject to withholding, we (or the applicable paying agent) would be entitled to withhold taxes without being required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.
You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. You should also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and other tax consequences of your investment in the notes in your particular circumstances, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
Validity of the Notes
In the opinion of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, as Canadian counsel to CIBC, the issue and sale of the notes has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of CIBC in conformity with the indenture, and when the notes have been duly executed, authenticated and issued in accordance with the indenture, the notes will be validly issued and, to the extent validity of the notes is a matter governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario or the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, will be valid obligations of CIBC, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws of general application affecting creditors’ rights, equitable principles, and subject to limitations as to the currency in which judgments in Canada may be rendered, as prescribed by the Currency Act (Canada). This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and the genuineness of signature, and to such counsel’s reliance on CIBC and other sources as to certain factual matters, all as stated in the opinion letter of such counsel dated September 6, 2019, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.2 to CIBC’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 filed with the SEC on September 6, 2019.
In the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP, when the notes have been duly completed in accordance with the indenture and issued and sold as contemplated by this term sheet and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus, the notes will constitute valid and binding obligations of CIBC, entitled to the benefits of the indenture, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York. This opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and such counsel’s reliance on CIBC and other sources as to certain factual matters, all as stated in the legal opinion dated September 6, 2019, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.1 to CIBC’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 filed with the SEC on September 6, 2019.
Where You Can Find More Information
We have filed a registration statement (including a product supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the Note Prospectus, including this term sheet, and the other documents that we have filed with the SEC, for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, we, any agent, or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you these documents if you so request by calling MLPF&S or BofAS toll-free at 1-800-294-1322.
“Leveraged Index Return Notes®” and “LIRNs®” are registered service marks of Bank of America Corporation, the parent company of MLPF&S and BofAS.
| Leveraged Index Return Notes® | TS-15 |