424B2 1 s121010_424b2.htm PRICING SUPPLEMENT

October 28, 2019

Registration Statement Nos. 333-222672 and 333-222672-01; Rule 424(b)(2)

JPMorgan Chase Financial Company LLC
Structured Investments

$540,000

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF due November 2, 2022

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

·

The notes are designed for investors who seek a Contingent Interest Payment with respect to each Review Date for which the closing value of each of the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF, which we refer to as the Underlyings, is greater than or equal to 65.00% of its Initial Value, which we refer to as an Interest Barrier.

·

The notes will be automatically called if the closing value of each Underlying on any Review Date (other than the first and final Review Dates) is greater than or equal to its Initial Value.

·

The earliest date on which an automatic call may be initiated is April 28, 2020.

·

Investors in the notes should be willing to accept the risk of losing some or all of their principal and the risk that no Contingent Interest Payment may be made with respect to some or all Review Dates.

·

Investors should also be willing to forgo fixed interest and dividend payments, in exchange for the opportunity to receive Contingent Interest Payments.

·

The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of JPMorgan Chase Financial Company LLC, which we refer to as JPMorgan Financial, the payment on which is fully and unconditionally guaranteed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Any payment on the notes is subject to the credit risk of JPMorgan Financial, as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of JPMorgan Chase & Co., as guarantor of the notes.

·

Payments on the notes are not linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings.  Payments on the notes are linked to the performance of each of the Underlyings individually, as described below.

·

Minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof

·

The notes priced on October 28, 2019 and are expected to settle on or about October 31, 2019.

·

CUSIP: 48132F2E5

 

Investing in the notes involves a number of risks.  See “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-10 of the accompanying product supplement, “Risk Factors” beginning on page US-1 of the accompanying underlying supplement and “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page PS-5 of this pricing supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this pricing supplement or the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus.  Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Price to Public (1)

Fees and Commissions (2)

Proceeds to Issuer

Per note

$1,000

$20

$980

Total

$540,000

$10,800

$529,200

(1) See “Supplemental Use of Proceeds” in this pricing supplement for information about the components of the price to public of the notes.

(2) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, which we refer to as JPMS, acting as agent for JPMorgan Financial, will pay all of the selling commissions of $20.00 per $1,000 principal amount note it receives from us to other affiliated or unaffiliated dealers.  See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying product supplement.  

The estimated value of the notes, when the terms of the notes were set, was $962.80 per $1,000 principal amount note.  See “The Estimated Value of the Notes” in this pricing supplement for additional information. 

The notes are not bank deposits, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency and are not obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

Pricing supplement to product supplement no. 4-I dated April 5, 2018, underlying supplement no. 1-I dated April 5, 2018
and the prospectus and prospectus supplement, each dated April 5, 2018

 

 

 

Key Terms

Issuer: JPMorgan Chase Financial Company LLC, an indirect, wholly owned finance subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Guarantor: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Underlyings: The EURO STOXX 50® Index (Bloomberg ticker: SX5E) (the “Index”) and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF (Bloomberg ticker: ILF) (the “Fund”) (each of the Index and the Fund, an “Underlying” and collectively, the “Underlyings”)

Contingent Interest Payments: If the notes have not been automatically called and the closing value of each Underlying on any Review Date is greater than or equal to its Interest Barrier, you will receive on the applicable Interest Payment Date for each $1,000 principal amount note a Contingent Interest Payment equal to $16.625 (equivalent to a Contingent Interest Rate of 6.65% per annum, payable at a rate of 1.6625% per quarter).

If the closing value of either Underlying on any Review Date is less than its Interest Barrier, no Contingent Interest Payment will be made with respect to that Review Date.

Contingent Interest Rate: 6.65% per annum, payable at a rate of 1.625% per quarter

Interest Barrier / Trigger Value:  With respect to each Underlying, 65.00% of its Initial Value, which is 2,356.6985 for the Index and $21.97 for the Fund

Pricing Date: October 28, 2019

Original Issue Date (Settlement Date): On or about October 31, 2019

Review Dates*: January 28, 2020, April 28, 2020, July 28, 2020, October 28, 2020, January 28, 2021, April 28, 2021, July 28, 2021, October 28, 2021, January 28, 2022, April 28, 2022, July 28, 2022 and October 28, 2022 (final Review Date)

Interest Payment Dates*: January 31, 2020, May 1, 2020, July 31, 2020, November 2, 2020, February 2, 2021, May 3, 2021, August 2, 2021, November 2, 2021, February 2, 2022, May 3, 2022, August 2, 2022 and the Maturity Date

Maturity Date*: November 2, 2022

Call Settlement Date*:  If the notes are automatically called on any Review Date (other than the first and final Review Dates), the first Interest Payment Date immediately following that Review Date

* Subject to postponement in the event of a market disruption event and as described under “General Terms of Notes — Postponement of a Determination Date — Notes Linked to Multiple Underlyings” and “General Terms of Notes — Postponement of a Payment Date” in the accompanying product supplement 

Automatic Call:

If the closing value of each Underlying on any Review Date (other than the first and final Review Dates) is greater than or equal to its Initial Value, the notes will be automatically called for a cash payment, for each $1,000 principal amount note, equal to (a) $1,000 plus (b) the Contingent Interest Payment applicable to that Review Date, payable on the applicable Call Settlement Date.  No further payments will be made on the notes.

Payment at Maturity:

If the notes have not been automatically called and the Final Value of each Underlying is greater than or equal to its Trigger Value, you will receive a cash payment at maturity, for each $1,000 principal amount note, equal to (a) $1,000 plus (b) the Contingent Interest Payment applicable to the final Review Date.

If the notes have not been automatically called and the Final Value of either Underlying is less than its Trigger Value, your payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount note will be calculated as follows:

$1,000 + ($1,000 × Lesser Performing Underlying Return)

If the notes have not been automatically called and the Final Value of either Underlying is less than its Trigger Value, you will lose more than 35.00% of your principal amount at maturity and could lose all of your principal amount at maturity.

Lesser Performing Underlying: The Underlying with the Lesser Performing Underlying Return

Lesser Performing Underlying Return: The lower of the Underlying Returns of the Underlyings

Underlying Return:

With respect to each Underlying,

(Final Value – Initial Value)
Initial Value

Initial Value: With respect to each Underlying, the closing value of that Underlying on the Pricing Date, which was 3,625.69 for the Index and $33.80 for the Fund

Final Value: With respect to each Underlying, the closing value of that Underlying on the final Review Date

Share Adjustment Factor: The Share Adjustment Factor is referenced in determining the closing value of the Fund and is set equal to 1.0 on the Pricing Date.  The Share Adjustment Factor is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events affecting the Fund.  See “The Underlyings — Funds — Anti-Dilution Adjustments” in the accompanying product supplement for further information.

 

 


PS-1 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

How the Notes Work

Payment in Connection with the First Review Date



Payments in Connection with Review Dates (Other than the First and Final Review Dates)



PS-2 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

Payment at Maturity If the Notes Have Not Been Automatically Called

Total Contingent Interest Payments

The table below illustrates the hypothetical total Contingent Interest Payments per $1,000 principal amount note over the term of the notes based on the Contingent Interest Rate of 6.65% per annum, depending on how many Contingent Interest Payments are made prior to automatic call or maturity.

Number of Contingent
Interest Payments

Total Contingent Interest
Payments

12

$199.500

11

$182.875

10

$166.250

9

$149.625

8

$133.000

7

$116.375

6

$99.750

5

$83.125

4

$66.500

3

$49.875

2

$33.250

1

$16.625

0

$0.000

 

PS-3 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

Hypothetical Payout Examples

The following examples illustrate payments on the notes linked to two hypothetical Underlyings, assuming a range of performances for the hypothetical Lesser Performing Underlying on the Review Dates.  Each hypothetical payment set forth below assumes that the closing value of the Underlying that is not the Lesser Performing Underlying on each Review Date is greater than or equal to its Initial Value (and therefore its Interest Barrier and Trigger Value).

In addition, the hypothetical payments set forth below assume the following:  

·

an Initial Value for the Lesser Performing Underlying of 100.00;

·

an Interest Barrier and a Trigger Value for the Lesser Performing Underlying of 65.00 (equal to 65.00% of its hypothetical Initial Value); and

·

a Contingent Interest Rate of 6.65% per annum (payable at a rate of 1.6625% per quarter).

The hypothetical Initial Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying of 100.00 has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the actual Initial Value of either Underlying.  The actual Initial Value of each Underlying is the closing value of that Underlying on the Pricing Date and is specified under “Key Terms — Initial Value” in this pricing supplement.  For historical data regarding the actual closing value of each Underlying, please see the historical information set forth under “The Underlyings” in this pricing supplement.

Each hypothetical payment set forth below is for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual payment applicable to a purchaser of the notes.  The numbers appearing in the following examples have been rounded for ease of analysis.

Example 1 — Notes are automatically called on the second Review Date.

Date

Closing Value of Lesser
Performing Underlying

Payment (per $1,000 principal amount note)

First Review Date

105.00

$16.625

Second Review Date

115.00

$1,016.625

 

Total Payment

$1,033.25 (3.325% return)

Because the closing value of each Underlying on the second Review Date is greater than or equal to its Initial Value, the notes will be automatically called for a cash payment, for each $1,000 principal amount note, of $1,016.625 (or $1,000 plus the Contingent Interest Payment applicable to the second Review Date), payable on the applicable Call Settlement Date.  The notes are not automatically callable before the second Review Date, even though the closing value of each Underlying on the first Review Date is greater than its Initial Value.  When added to the Contingent Interest Payment received with respect to the prior Review Date, the total amount paid, for each $1,000 principal amount note, is $1,033.25.  No further payments will be made on the notes.

Example 2 — Notes have NOT been automatically called and the Final Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Trigger Value.

Date

Closing Value of Lesser
Performing Underlying

Payment (per $1,000 principal amount note)

First Review Date

95.00

$16.625

Second Review Date

85.00

$16.625

Third through Eleventh
Review Dates

Less than Interest Barrier

$0

Final Review Date

90.00

$1,016.625

 

Total Payment

$1,049.875 (4.9875% return)

Because the notes have not been automatically called and the Final Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying is greater than or equal to its Trigger Value, the payment at maturity, for each $1,000 principal amount note, will be $1,016.625 (or $1,000 plus the Contingent Interest Payment applicable to the final Review Date).  When added to the Contingent Interest Payments received with respect to the prior Review Dates, the total amount paid, for each $1,000 principal amount note, is $1,049.875.

PS-4 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

Example 3 — Notes have NOT been automatically called and the Final Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying is less than its Trigger Value.

Date

Closing Value of Lesser
Performing Underlying

Payment (per $1,000 principal amount note)

First Review Date

40.00

$0

Second Review Date

45.00

$0

Third through Eleventh
Review Dates

Less than Interest Barrier

$0

Final Review Date

50.00

$500.00

 

Total Payment

$500.00 (-50.00% return)

 

Because the notes have not been automatically called, the Final Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying is less than its Trigger Value and the Lesser Performing Underlying Return is -50.00%, the payment at maturity will be $500.00 per $1,000 principal amount note, calculated as follows:

$1,000 + [$1,000 × (-50.00%)] = $500.00

The hypothetical returns and hypothetical payments on the notes shown above apply only if you hold the notes for their entire term or until automatically called.  These hypotheticals do not reflect the fees or expenses that would be associated with any sale in the secondary market.  If these fees and expenses were included, the hypothetical returns and hypothetical payments shown above would likely be lower.

Selected Risk Considerations

An investment in the notes involves significant risks.  These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” sections of the accompanying product supplement and underlying supplement.

·

YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE NOTES MAY RESULT IN A LOSS —

The notes do not guarantee any return of principal.  If the notes have not been automatically called and the Final Value of either Underlying is less than its Trigger Value, you will lose 1% of the principal amount of your notes for every 1% that the Final Value of the Lesser Performing Underlying is less than its Initial Value.  Accordingly, under these circumstances, you will lose more than 35.00% of your principal amount at maturity and could lose all of your principal amount at maturity.

·

THE NOTES DO NOT GUARANTEE THE PAYMENT OF INTEREST AND MAY NOT PAY ANY INTEREST AT ALL —

 If the notes have not been automatically called, we will make a Contingent Interest Payment with respect to a Review Date only if the closing value of each Underlying on that Review Date is greater than or equal to its Interest Barrier.  If the closing value of either Underlying on that Review Date is less than its Interest Barrier, no Contingent Interest Payment will be made with respect to that Review Date.  Accordingly, if the closing value of either Underlying on each Review Date is less than its Interest Barrier, you will not receive any interest payments over the term of the notes.

·

CREDIT RISKS OF JPMORGAN FINANCIAL AND JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. —

Investors are dependent on our and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s ability to pay all amounts due on the notes.  Any actual or potential change in our or JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s creditworthiness or credit spreads, as determined by the market for taking that credit risk, is likely to adversely affect the value of the notes.  If we and JPMorgan Chase & Co. were to default on our payment obligations, you may not receive any amounts owed to you under the notes and you could lose your entire investment.

·

AS A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY, JPMORGAN FINANCIAL HAS NO INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS AND HAS LIMITED ASSETS —

As a finance subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., we have no independent operations beyond the issuance and administration of our securities.  Aside from the initial capital contribution from JPMorgan Chase & Co., substantially all of our assets relate to obligations of our affiliates to make payments under loans made by us or other intercompany agreements.  As a result, we are dependent upon payments from our affiliates to meet our obligations under the notes.  If these affiliates do not make payments to us and we fail to make payments on the notes, you may have to seek payment under the related guarantee by JPMorgan Chase & Co., and that guarantee will rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

PS-5 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

·

THE APPRECIATION POTENTIAL OF THE NOTES IS LIMITED TO THE SUM OF ANY CONTINGENT INTEREST PAYMENTS THAT MAY BE PAID OVER THE TERM OF THE NOTES,

regardless of any appreciation of either Underlying, which may be significant.  You will not participate in any appreciation of either Underlying.

·

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS —

We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the notes.  In performing these duties, our and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s economic interests are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes.  It is possible that hedging or trading activities of ours or our affiliates in connection with the notes could result in substantial returns for us or our affiliates while the value of the notes declines.  Please refer to “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Conflicts of Interest” in the accompanying product supplement. 

·

YOU ARE EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF EACH UNDERLYING

Payments on the notes are not linked to a basket composed of the Underlyings and are contingent upon the performance of each individual Underlying.  Poor performance by either of the Underlyings over the term of the notes may result in the notes not being automatically called on a Review Date, may negatively affect whether you will receive a Contingent Interest Payment on any Interest Payment Date and your payment at maturity and will not be offset or mitigated by positive performance by the other Underlying.

·

YOUR PAYMENT AT MATURITY WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE LESSER PERFORMING UNDERLYING.

·

THE BENEFIT PROVIDED BY THE TRIGGER VALUE MAY TERMINATE ON THE FINAL REVIEW DATE —

If the Final Value of either Underlying is less than its Trigger Value and the notes have not been automatically called, the benefit provided by the Trigger Value will terminate and you will be fully exposed to any depreciation of the Lesser Performing Underlying.

·

THE AUTOMATIC CALL FEATURE MAY FORCE A POTENTIAL EARLY EXIT —

If your notes are automatically called, the term of the notes may be reduced to as short as approximately six months and you will not receive any Contingent Interest Payments after the applicable Call Settlement Date.  There is no guarantee that you would be able to reinvest the proceeds from an investment in the notes at a comparable return and/or with a comparable interest rate for a similar level of risk.  Even in cases where the notes are called before maturity, you are not entitled to any fees and commissions described on the front cover of this pricing supplement.

·

YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE DIVIDENDS ON THE SECURITIES INCLUDED IN EITHER UNDERLYING OR HAVE ANY RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE SECURITIES.

·

NON-U.S. SECURITIES RISK —

The equity securities included in or held by the Underlyings have been issued by non-U.S. companies.  Investments in securities linked to the value of such non-U.S. equity securities involve risks associated with the securities markets in the home countries of the issuers of those non-U.S. equity securities.  Also, there is generally less publicly available information about companies in some of these jurisdictions than there is about U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC.

·

NO DIRECT EXPOSURE TO FLUCTUATIONS IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX —

The value of your notes will not be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the currencies upon which the equity securities included in the Index are based, although any currency fluctuations could affect the performance of the Index.

·

THERE ARE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUND —

The Fund is subject to management risk, which is the risk that the investment strategies of the Fund’s investment adviser, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results.  These constraints could adversely affect the market price of the shares of the Fund and, consequently, the value of the notes.

·

THE PERFORMANCE AND MARKET VALUE OF THE FUND, PARTICULARLY DURING PERIODS OF MARKET VOLATILITY, MAY NOT CORRELATE WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND’S UNDERLYING INDEX AS WELL AS THE NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE —

The Fund does not fully replicate its Underlying Index (as defined under “The Underlyings” below) and may hold securities different from those included in its Underlying Index. In addition, the performance of the Fund will reflect additional transaction costs and fees that are not included in the calculation of its Underlying Index. All of these factors may lead to a lack of correlation between the performance of the Fund and its Underlying Index. In addition, corporate actions with respect to the equity securities

PS-6 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

underlying the Fund (such as mergers and spin-offs) may impact the variance between the performances of the Fund and its Underlying Index. Finally, because the shares of the Fund are traded on a securities exchange and are subject to market supply and investor demand, the market value of one share of the Fund may differ from the net asset value per share of the Fund.

During periods of market volatility, securities underlying the Fund may be unavailable in the secondary market, market participants may be unable to calculate accurately the net asset value per share of the Fund and the liquidity of the Fund may be adversely affected.  This kind of market volatility may also disrupt the ability of market participants to create and redeem shares of the Fund. Further, market volatility may adversely affect, sometimes materially, the prices at which market participants are willing to buy and sell shares of the Fund.  As a result, under these circumstances, the market value of shares of the Fund may vary substantially from the net asset value per share of the Fund.  For all of the foregoing reasons, the performance of the Fund may not correlate with the performance of its Underlying Index as well as the net asset value per share of the Fund, which could materially and adversely affect the value of the notes in the secondary market and/or reduce any payment on the notes.

·

EMERGING MARKETS RISK WITH RESPECT TO THE FUND — 

The equity securities held by the Fund have been issued by non-U.S. companies located in emerging markets countries.  Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries.  The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.  Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times.

·

THE NOTES ARE SUBJECT TO CURRENCY EXCHANGE RISK WITH RESPECT TO THE FUND —

Because the prices of the equity securities held by the Fund are converted into U.S. dollars for purposes of calculating the net asset value of the Fund, holders of the notes will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of the currencies in which the equity securities held by the Fund trade.  Your net exposure will depend on the extent to which those currencies strengthen or weaken against the U.S. dollar and the relative weight of equity securities held by the Fund denominated in each of those currencies.  If, taking into account the relevant weighting, the U.S. dollar strengthens against those currencies, the price of the Fund will be adversely affected and any payment on the notes may be reduced.

·

THE ANTI-DILUTION PROTECTION FOR THE FUND IS LIMITED —

The calculation agent will make adjustments to the Share Adjustment Factor for certain events affecting the shares of the Fund.  However, the calculation agent will not make an adjustment in response to all events that could affect the shares of the Fund.  If an event occurs that does not require the calculation agent to make an adjustment, the value of the notes may be materially and adversely affected.

·

THE RISK OF THE CLOSING VALUE OF AN UNDERLYING FALLING BELOW ITS INTEREST BARRIER OR TRIGGER VALUE IS GREATER IF THE VALUE OF THAT UNDERLYING IS VOLATILE.

·

LACK OF LIQUIDITY —

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.  Accordingly, the price at which you may be able to trade your notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which JPMS is willing to buy the notes.  You may not be able to sell your notes.  The notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments.  Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your notes to maturity.

·

THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES IS LOWER THAN THE ORIGINAL ISSUE PRICE (PRICE TO PUBLIC) OF THE NOTES —

The estimated value of the notes is only an estimate determined by reference to several factors.  The original issue price of the notes exceeds the estimated value of the notes because costs associated with selling, structuring and hedging the notes are included in the original issue price of the notes.  These costs include the selling commissions, the projected profits, if any, that our affiliates expect to realize for assuming risks inherent in hedging our obligations under the notes and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes.  See “The Estimated Value of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

·

THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES DOES NOT REPRESENT FUTURE VALUES OF THE NOTES AND MAY DIFFER FROM OTHERS’ ESTIMATES —

See “The Estimated Value of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

PS-7 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

·

THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES IS DERIVED BY REFERENCE TO AN INTERNAL FUNDING RATE —

The internal funding rate used in the determination of the estimated value of the notes may differ from the market-implied funding rate for vanilla fixed income instruments of a similar maturity issued by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates.  Any difference may be based on, among other things, our and our affiliates’ 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 the conventional fixed income instruments of JPMorgan Chase & Co.  This internal funding rate is based on certain market inputs and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect, and is intended to approximate the prevailing market replacement funding rate for the notes.  The use of an internal funding rate and any potential changes to that rate may have an adverse effect on the terms of the notes and any secondary market prices of the notes.  See “The Estimated Value of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

·

THE VALUE OF THE NOTES AS PUBLISHED BY JPMS (AND WHICH MAY BE REFLECTED ON CUSTOMER ACCOUNT STATEMENTS) MAY BE HIGHER THAN THE THEN-CURRENT ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE NOTES FOR A LIMITED TIME PERIOD —

We generally expect that some of the costs included in the original issue price of the notes will be partially paid back to you in connection with any repurchases of your notes by JPMS in an amount that will decline to zero over an initial predetermined period.  See “Secondary Market Prices of the Notes” in this pricing supplement for additional information relating to this initial period.  Accordingly, the estimated value of your notes during this initial period may be lower than the value of the notes as published by JPMS (and which may be shown on your customer account statements).

·

SECONDARY MARKET PRICES OF THE NOTES WILL LIKELY BE LOWER THAN THE ORIGINAL ISSUE PRICE OF THE NOTES —

Any secondary market prices of the notes will likely be lower than the original issue price of the notes because, among other things, secondary market prices take into account our internal secondary market funding rates for structured debt issuances and, also, because secondary market prices may exclude selling commissions, projected hedging profits, if any, and estimated hedging costs that are included in the original issue price of the notes.  As a result, the price, if any, at which JPMS will be willing to buy the notes from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, is likely to be lower than the original issue price.  Any sale by you prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you.

·

SECONDARY MARKET PRICES OF THE NOTES WILL BE IMPACTED BY MANY ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS —

The secondary market price of the notes during their term will be impacted by a number of economic and market factors, which may either offset or magnify each other, aside from the selling commissions, projected hedging profits, if any, estimated hedging costs and the values of the Underlyings.  Additionally, independent pricing vendors and/or third party broker-dealers may publish a price for the notes, which may also be reflected on customer account statements.  This price may be different (higher or lower) than the price of the notes, if any, at which JPMS may be willing to purchase your notes in the secondary market.  See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to the Estimated Value and Secondary Market Prices of the Notes — Secondary market prices of the notes will be impacted by many economic and market factors” in the accompanying product supplement.

PS-8 | Structured Investments

Auto Callable Contingent Interest Notes Linked to the Lesser Performing of
the EURO STOXX 50® Index and the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

 

 

The Underlyings

The Index consists of 50 component stocks of market sector leaders from within the Eurozone. The Index and STOXX are the intellectual property (including registered trademarks) of STOXX Limited, Zurich, Switzerland and/or its licensors (the “Licensors”), which are used under license. The notes based on the Index are in no way sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by STOXX Limited and its Licensors and neither STOXX Limited nor any of its Licensors shall have any liability with respect thereto. For additional information about the Index, see “Equity Index Descriptions — The EURO STOXX 50® Index” in the accompanying underlying supplement.

The Fund is an exchange-traded fund of iShares® Trust, a registered investment company, that seeks to track the investment results, before fees and expenses, of an index composed of 40 of the largest Latin American equities, which we refer to as the Underlying Index with respect to the Fund.  The Underlying Index with respect to the Fund is currently the S&P Latin America 40™ Index.  The S&P Latin America 40™ Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the performance of 40 blue-chip companies drawn from five Latin American markets: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.  For additional information about the Fund, see Annex A in this pricing supplement.

Historical Information

The following graphs set forth the historical performance of each Index based on the weekly historical closing values from January 3, 2014 through October 25, 2019.  The closing value of the Index on October 28, 2019 was 3,625.69.  The closing value of the Fund on October 28, 2019 was $33.80.  We obtained the closing values above and below from the Bloomberg Professional® service (“Bloomberg”), without independent verification.  The closing values of the Fund above and below may have been adjusted by Bloomberg for actions taken by the Fund, such as stock splits.

The historical closing values of each Underlying should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing value of either Underlying on any Review Date.  There can be no assurance that the performance of the Underlyings will result in the return of any of your principal amount or the payment of any interest.

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Tax Treatment

You should review carefully the section entitled “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying product supplement no. 4-I. In determining our reporting responsibilities we intend to treat (i) the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as prepaid forward contracts with associated contingent coupons and (ii) any Contingent Interest Payments as ordinary income, as described in the section entitled “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders — Notes Treated as Prepaid Forward Contracts with Associated Contingent Coupons” in the accompanying product supplement. Based on the advice of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, our special tax counsel, we believe that this is a reasonable treatment, but that there are other reasonable treatments that the IRS or a court may adopt, in which case the timing and character of any income or loss on the notes could be materially affected. In addition, in 2007 Treasury and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. The notice focuses in particular on whether to require investors in these instruments to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments and the relevance of factors such as the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect. The discussions above and in the accompanying product supplement do not address the consequences to taxpayers subject to special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by the notice described above.

Non-U.S. Holders — Tax Considerations.  The U.S. federal income tax treatment of Contingent Interest Payments is uncertain, and although we believe it is reasonable to take a position that Contingent Interest Payments are not subject to U.S. withholding tax (at least if an applicable Form W-8 is provided), a withholding agent may nonetheless withhold on these payments (generally at a rate of 30%, subject to the possible reduction of that rate under an applicable income tax treaty), unless income from your notes is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if an applicable treaty so requires, attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States).  If you are not a United States person, you are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes in light of your particular circumstances.

Section 871(m) of the Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section 871(m)”) generally impose a 30% withholding tax (unless an income tax treaty applies) on dividend equivalents paid or deemed paid to Non-U.S. Holders with respect to certain financial instruments linked to U.S. equities or indices that include U.S. equities.  Section 871(m) provides certain exceptions to this withholding regime, including for instruments linked to certain broad-based indices that meet requirements set forth in the applicable Treasury regulations (such an index, a “Qualified Index”).  Additionally, a recent IRS notice excludes from the scope of Section 871(m) instruments issued prior to January 1, 2021 that do not have a delta of one with respect to underlying securities that could pay U.S.-source dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes (each an “Underlying Security”).  Based on certain determinations made by us, our special tax counsel is of the opinion that Section 871(m) should not apply to the notes with regard to Non-U.S. Holders.  Our determination is not binding on the IRS, and the IRS may disagree with this determination.  Section 871(m) is complex and its

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application may depend on your particular circumstances, including whether you enter into other transactions with respect to an Underlying Security.  You should consult your tax adviser regarding the potential application of Section 871(m) to the notes.

FATCA.  Withholding under legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA” could apply to payments with respect to the notes that are treated as U.S.-source “fixed or determinable annual or periodical” income (“FDAP Income”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes (such as interest, if the notes are recharacterized, in whole or in part, as debt instruments, or Contingent Interest Payments if they are otherwise treated as FDAP Income).  If the notes are recharacterized, in whole or in part, as debt instruments, withholding could also apply to payments of gross proceeds of a taxable disposition, including an early redemption or redemption at maturity, of a note, although under recently proposed regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are permitted to rely on them pending finalization), no withholding will apply to payments of gross proceeds (other than any amount treated as FDAP Income).  You should consult your tax adviser regarding the potential application of FATCA to the notes.

In the event of any withholding on the notes, we will not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld.

The Estimated Value of the Notes

The estimated value of the notes set forth on the cover of this pricing supplement is equal to the sum of the values of the following hypothetical components: (1) a fixed-income debt component with the same maturity as the notes, valued using the internal funding rate described below, and (2) the derivative or derivatives underlying the economic terms of the notes.  The estimated value of the notes does not represent a minimum price at which JPMS would be willing to buy your notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time.  The internal funding rate used in the determination of the estimated value of the notes may differ from the market-implied funding rate for vanilla fixed income instruments of a similar maturity issued by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates.  Any difference may be based on, among other things, our and our affiliates’ 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 the conventional fixed income instruments of JPMorgan Chase & Co.  This internal funding rate is based on certain market inputs and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect, and is intended to approximate the prevailing market replacement funding rate for the notes.  The use of an internal funding rate and any potential changes to that rate may have an adverse effect on the terms of the notes and any secondary market prices of the notes.  For additional information, see “Selected Risk Considerations — The Estimated Value of the Notes Is Derived by Reference to an Internal Funding Rate” in this pricing supplement.

The value of the derivative or derivatives underlying the economic terms of the notes is derived from internal pricing models of our affiliates.  These models are dependent on inputs such as the traded market prices of comparable derivative instruments and on various other inputs, some of which are market-observable, and which can include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors, as well as assumptions about future market events and/or environments.  Accordingly, the estimated value of the notes is determined when the terms of the notes are set based on market conditions and other relevant factors and assumptions existing at that time.

The estimated value of the notes does not represent future values of the notes and may differ from others’ estimates.  Different pricing models and assumptions could provide valuations for the notes that are greater than or less than the estimated value of the notes.  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 value of the notes could change significantly based on, among other things, changes in market conditions, our or JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s creditworthiness, interest rate movements and other relevant factors, which may impact the price, if any, at which JPMS would be willing to buy notes from you in secondary market transactions.

The estimated value of the notes is lower than the original issue price of the notes because costs associated with selling, structuring and hedging the notes are included in the original issue price of the notes.  These costs include the selling commissions paid to JPMS and other affiliated or unaffiliated dealers, the projected profits, if any, that our affiliates expect to realize for assuming risks inherent in hedging our obligations under the notes and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes.  Because hedging our obligations entails risk and may be influenced by market forces beyond our control, this hedging may result in a profit that is more or less than expected, or it may result in a loss.  A portion of the profits, if any, realized in hedging our obligations under the notes may be allowed to other affiliated or unaffiliated dealers, and we or one or more of our affiliates will retain any remaining hedging profits.  See “Selected Risk Considerations — The Estimated Value of the Notes Is Lower Than the Original Issue Price (Price to Public) of the Notes” in this pricing supplement.

Secondary Market Prices of the Notes

For information about factors that will impact any secondary market prices of the notes, see “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to the Estimated Value and Secondary Market Prices of the Notes — Secondary market prices of the notes will be impacted by many economic and market factors” in the accompanying product supplement.  In addition, we generally expect that some of the costs

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included in the original issue price of the notes will be partially paid back to you in connection with any repurchases of your notes by JPMS in an amount that will decline to zero over an initial predetermined period.  These costs can include selling commissions, projected hedging profits, if any, and, in some circumstances, estimated hedging costs and our internal secondary market funding rates for structured debt issuances.  This initial predetermined time period is intended to be the shorter of six months and one-half of the stated term of the notes.  The length of any such initial period reflects the structure of the notes, whether our affiliates expect to earn a profit in connection with our hedging activities, the estimated costs of hedging the notes and when these costs are incurred, as determined by our affiliates.  See “Selected Risk Considerations — The Value of the Notes as Published by JPMS (and Which May Be Reflected on Customer Account Statements) May Be Higher Than the Then-Current Estimated Value of the Notes for a Limited Time Period” in this pricing supplement.

Supplemental Use of Proceeds

The notes are offered to meet investor demand for products that reflect the risk-return profile and market exposure provided by the notes.  See “How the Notes Work” and “Hypothetical Payout Examples” in this pricing supplement for an illustration of the risk-return profile of the notes and “The Underlyings” in this pricing supplement for a description of the market exposure provided by the notes.

The original issue price of the notes is equal to the estimated value of the notes plus the selling commissions paid to JPMS and other affiliated or unaffiliated dealers, plus (minus) the projected profits (losses) that our affiliates expect to realize for assuming risks inherent in hedging our obligations under the notes, plus the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes.

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

We expect that delivery of the notes will be made against payment for the notes on or about the Original Issue Date set forth on the front cover of this pricing supplement, which will be the third business day following the Pricing Date of the notes (this settlement cycle being referred to as “T+3”).  Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to that 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 an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisors.

Validity of the Notes and the Guarantee

In the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as special products counsel to JPMorgan Financial and JPMorgan Chase & Co., when the notes offered by this pricing supplement have been executed and issued by JPMorgan Financial and authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and delivered against payment as contemplated herein, such notes will be valid and binding obligations of JPMorgan Financial and the related guarantee will constitute a valid and binding obligation of JPMorgan Chase & Co., 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 (i) the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above or (ii) any provision of the indenture that purports to avoid the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law by limiting the amount of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s obligation under the related guarantee.  This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.  In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and its authentication of the notes and the validity, binding nature and enforceability of the indenture with respect to the trustee, all as stated in the letter of such counsel dated March 8, 2018, which was filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 by JPMorgan Financial and JPMorgan Chase & Co. on March 8, 2018.

Additional Terms Specific to the Notes

You should read this pricing supplement together with the accompanying prospectus, as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement relating to our Series A medium-term notes of which these notes are a part, and the more detailed information contained in the accompanying product supplement and the accompanying underlying supplement.  This pricing supplement, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the notes and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, fact sheets, brochures or other educational materials of ours.  You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in the “Risk Factors” sections of the accompanying product supplement and the accompanying underlying supplement, as the notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities.  We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the notes.

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You may access these documents on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):

·

Product supplement no. 4-I dated April 5, 2018:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/19617/000095010318004519/dp87528_424b2-ps4i.pdf

·

Underlying supplement no. 1-I dated April 5, 2018:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/19617/000095010318004514/crt_dp87766-424b2.pdf

·

Prospectus supplement and prospectus, each dated April 5, 2018:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/19617/000095010318004508/dp87767_424b2-ps.pdf

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 1665650, and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s CIK is 19617.  As used in this pricing supplement, “we,” “us” and “our” refer to JPMorgan Financial.

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Annex A

The iShares® Latin America 40 ETF

All information contained in this pricing supplement regarding the iShares® Latin America 40 ETF (the “Latin America Fund”) has been derived from publicly available information, without independent verification.  This information reflects the policies of, and is subject to change by iShares® Trust and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”).  The Latin America Fund is an investment portfolio of iShares® Trust.  BFA is currently the investment adviser to the Latin America Fund.  The Latin America Fund is an exchange-traded fund that trades on the NYSE Arca, Inc. under the ticker symbol “ILF.” 

The Latin America Fund seeks to track the investment results, before fees and expenses, of an index composed of 40 of the largest Latin American equities, which is currently the S&P Latin America 40TM Index (the “Latin America Index”).  For more information about the Latin America Index, please see “The S&P Latin America 40TM Index” below.

BFA uses a “representative sampling” indexing strategy to manage the Latin America Fund.  “Representative sampling” is an investment strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of the Latin America Index.  The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Latin America Index.  The Latin America Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Latin America Index.

The Latin America Index is a theoretical financial calculation, based on a grouping of financial instruments that is not an investment product, while the Latin America Fund is an actual investment portfolio.  The performance of the Latin America Fund and the Latin America Index may vary for a number of reasons, including transaction costs, non-U.S. currency valuations, asset valuations, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs), timing variances and differences between the Latin America Fund’s portfolio and the Latin America Index resulting from the Latin America Fund’s use of representative sampling or from legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Latin America Fund but not to the Latin America Index.  “Tracking error” is the divergence of the performance (return) of the Latin America Fund’s portfolio from that of the Latin America Index.  BFA expects that, over time, the Latin America Fund’s tracking error will not exceed 5%.  Because the Latin America Fund uses a representative sampling indexing strategy, it can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if it used a replication indexing strategy.  “Replication” is an indexing strategy in which a fund invests in substantially all of the securities in its underlying index in approximately the same proportions as in the underlying index.

iShares® Trust is a registered investment company that consists of numerous separate investment portfolios, including the Latin America Fund.  Information provided to or filed with the SEC by iShares® Trust pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, can be located by reference to SEC file numbers 333-92935 and 811-09729 through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

The S&P Latin America 40TM Index

General

All information contained in this pricing supplement regarding the Latin America Index, including, without limitation, its make-up, performance, method of calculation and changes in its components, has been derived from publicly available sources, without independent verification.  This information reflects the policies of and is subject to change by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P Dow Jones”).  The Latin America Index is calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones.  S&P Dow Jones does not have any obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue the publication of, the Latin America Index. 

The Latin America Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the performance of 40 blue-chip companies that capture approximately 70% of the region’s equity market.  Constituents are drawn from five Latin American markets: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

The Latin America Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “SPLAC.” 

Eligibility Criteria

The Latin America Index constituents are drawn from the S&P/IFCI country indices of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.  The S&P/IFCI country indices require that, at the annual reconstitution, a stock must have a minimum float-adjusted market capitalization of US$ 200 million to be added to the index.  During the annual reconstitution, S&P/IFCI country indices constituents that fall below US$ 200 million, but have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least US$ 150 million, remain in those indices.  Stocks must have a minimum USD 12-month median value traded ratio of 10% and a minimum USD median daily value traded of US$ 0.1 million over the six months prior to the rebalancing reference date to be eligible for inclusion in the S&P/IFCI country indices.  A stock’s domicile is determined based on criteria that include incorporation, registration, operational headquarters location, primary exchange listing, geographic breakdown of revenue and assets, ownership information, location of offices, directors and employees and investor perception.  All investable primary market share classes are included in the S&P/IFCI country indices.

Index composition is at the discretion of the Americas Thematic and Strategy Indices Committee (the “Index Committee”).  The following eligibility factors are taken into account by the Index Committee when determining the composition of the Latin America Index:

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·

Market Capitalization: The Latin America Index is designed to include the largest stocks, based on float-adjusted market capitalization from the five markets listed above.

·

Liquidity: Stocks are ranked according to liquidity, measured by dollar value traded.  Annual value traded, float turnover and days traded are also analyzed on a quarterly basis to ensure adequate liquidity.  Given two comparably sized companies, the higher the 12-month value traded, the more likely its inclusion.

·

Listings: Where applicable, preference is given to developed market listings of an index constituent.  This may include U.S.-listings, U.S.-listed American Depositary Receipts or other developed market listings.

·

Eligible Securities: All common and preferred shares (which are of an equity and not of a fixed income nature) are eligible for inclusion.  Convertible stock, bonds, warrants, rights, and preferred stock that provide a guaranteed fixed return are not eligible.

·

Country and Sector Balance: Stocks from the five markets listed above are classified into 11 sectors according to the Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS®”).  The Latin America Index is designed to reflect the country and sector weights of the broader universe of stocks.

Constituent Selection

Constituent selection is at the discretion of the Index Committee and is based on the eligibility criteria.  S&P Dow Jones believes that turnover in index membership should be avoided when possible.  At times a company may appear to temporarily violate one or more of the addition criteria.  However, the addition criteria are for addition to the Latin America Index, not for continued membership.  As a result, an index constituent that appears to violate criteria for addition to the Latin America Index will not be deleted unless ongoing conditions warrant an index change.

Index Calculation

The Latin America Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index.  On any given day, the index value of the Latin America Index is the total float-adjusted market capitalization of the Latin America Index’s constituents divided by its divisor.  The float-adjusted market capitalization reflects the price of each stock in the Latin America Index multiplied by the number of shares used in the index value calculation.

Float Adjustment.  Float adjustment means that the number of shares outstanding is reduced to exclude closely held shares from the calculation of the index value because such shares are not available to investors.  The goal of float adjustment is to distinguish between short-term long-term strategic shareholders, whose holdings depend on concerns such as maintaining control rather than the economic fortunes of the company, and those holders whose investments depend on the stock’s price and their evaluation of a company’s future prospects.  Generally, these “control holders” include officers and directors, private equity, venture capital and special equity firms, asset managers and insurance companies with board of director representation, shares held by another publicly traded company, holders of restricted shares, company-sponsored employee share plans and trusts, defined contribution plans and savings, investment plans, foundations or family trusts associated with the company, government entities at all levels (other than government retirement/pension funds), sovereign wealth funds and any individual person who controls a 5% or greater stake in a company as reported in regulatory filings.  Shares that are not considered outstanding are also not included in the available float.  These generally include treasury stock, stock options, equity participation units, warrants, preferred stock, convertible stock and rights.

All index constituents are assigned a float-adjustment factor, called an Investable Weight Factor (IWF). The IWF ranges between 0 and 1, and is an adjustment factor that accounts for the publicly available shares of a company. The company’s adjusted market capitalization is used to determine a constituent’s weight in the index.  IWFs are reviewed annually based on the most recently available data filed with various regulators and exchanges.  Revised IWFs are applied either prior to the open of the Monday after the third Friday of September or a date that is more appropriate for the Latin America Index.

Divisor.  The purpose of the index divisor is to maintain the continuity of an index level following the implementation of corporate actions, index rebalancing events, or other non-market driven actions.  The Latin America Index is not exactly the same as a portfolio.  To assure that the index’s value, or level, does not change when stocks are added or deleted, the divisor is adjusted to offset the change in market value of the index.  Thus, the divisor plays a critical role in the Latin America Index’s ability to provide a continuous measure of market valuation when faced with changes to the stocks included in the Latin America Index. In a similar manner, some corporate actions that cause changes in the market value of the stocks in the Latin America Index should not be reflected in the index level.  Adjustments are made to the divisor to eliminate the impact of these corporate actions.

Index Rebalancings

Changes to the S&P Latin America 40 are made on an as-needed basis. There is no annual or semi- annual reconstitution. Any share change of 5% or more is implemented on the effective date, or as soon as reliable information is available.  Changes of less than 5% are applied on the third Friday of March, June, September and December.  Similarly, any change affecting a stock’s float adjustment is implemented on the effective date if it causes a capitalization change of 5% or more.  Changes of less than 5% are applied at the September quarterly review.

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A share/IWF freeze period is implemented during each quarterly rebalancing.  The freeze period begins after the market close on the Tuesday preceding 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 a 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 are released on the first Friday of the month, but the share freeze period for September will follow the same schedule as the other three quarterly share freeze periods. 

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).

        Additions

An index addition is generally made only if a vacancy is created by an index deletion.  Index additions are made according to market size and liquidity, with a view to preserving regional, country, and sector representation in the Latin America Index.  An initial public offering (IPO) is added to the Latin America Index only when an appropriate vacancy occurs and is subject to proven liquidity for at least six months.  An exception may be made for extraordinarily large global offerings where expected trading volume justifies inclusion.

        Deletions

Deletions can occur due to acquisitions, mergers and spin-offs, or due to bankruptcies or suspension.  The latter is removed from the Latin America Index at the best available market price.  In cases where there is no achievable market price for a stock being deleted, it can be removed at a zero or minimal price at the Index Committee’s (as defined below) discretion, in recognition of the constraints faced by investors in trading bankrupt or suspended stocks.  Imposition of restrictive foreign investments in the sector or country within any of the countries will be handled expeditiously to allow investors to exit the sector or country in the least unfavorable manner.

Currency of Calculation and Exchange Rate

The Latin America Index is calculated in U.S. dollars.  Underlying prices are collected in local currencies and converted to U.S. dollars using Reuters’ real-time spot exchange rates. The Latin America Index’s closing value is calculated at 05:05 PM Eastern Time using the real-time exchange rates at that point in time.  In situations where either a stock does not trade or a primary exchange is not open for trading, but the Latin America Index is being calculated as other constituent primary exchanges are open and trading, the stocks from the closed primary exchange will use the last available closing price and convert into U.S. dollars using the real time spot foreign exchange rate of the day.  The Latin America Index’s final closing values convert all stock prices used in the index calculation at the spot foreign exchange rate provided by Reuters at the closing time of the Latin America Index.

WM/Reuters foreign exchange rates are taken daily at 4:00 PM London Time and used in the calculation of certain end-of-day-basis versions of the index. These mid-market fixings are calculated by The WM Company based on Reuters data and appear on Reuters pages WMRA.

Corporate Action Related Changes

There are a large range of different corporate actions ranging from routine share issuances or buy backs to less frequent events like spin-offs and mergers.  These are listed on the table below with notes about the necessary changes and whether the divisor is adjusted.

Corporate Action

Comments

Divisor
Adjustment?

Company Addition/Deletion

Addition

Companies are added at the float market capitalization weight.

Deletion

The weights of all stocks in the Latin America Index will proportionally change. Relative weights will stay the same.

Yes

Change in Shares Outstanding

Increasing (decreasing) the shares outstanding increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the Latin America Index.

Yes

Split/Reverse Split

Shares outstanding are adjusted by split ratio. Stock price is adjusted by split ratio.

No

Spin-off

A spin-off of a constituent will not remain in the Latin America Index unless the size and anticipated liquidity of the spun-off company are sufficient to replace the parent company. The spun-off company is added at a zero price at the market close of the day before the ex-date, and if it is determined to be ineligible for continued inclusion in the Latin America Index, the spun-off company is removed after at least one day

Maybe

(see comments)

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of regular way trading.

Change in Investable Weight Factor (IWF)

Increasing (decreasing) the IWF increases (decreases) the market capitalization of the Latin America Index.

Yes

Ordinary Dividends

When a company pays an ordinary cash dividend, the Latin America Index does not make any adjustments to the price or shares of the stock.

No

Special Dividends

The stock price is adjusted by the amount of the dividend.

Yes

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.

Yes

 

With corporate actions where special dividends such as extraordinary cash or other corporate assets that are distributed to shareholders, the price of the stock will be reduced by the payment amount at the opening of the effective date.  The effect of the divisor adjustment is to prevent this price drop from causing a corresponding drop in the Latin America Index.

Base Date

The Latin America Index has a base date of December 31, 1997.

Index Governance

The index is maintained by the Index Committee.  The Index Committee meets regularly.  At each meeting, the Index Committee may review pending corporate actions that may affect index constituents, statistics comparing the composition of the Latin America Index to the market, companies that are being considered as candidates for addition to the Latin America Index and any significant market events.  In addition, the Index Committee may revise index policy covering rules for selecting companies, treatment of dividends, share counts or other matters.

S&P Dow Jones considers information about changes to its indices and related matters to be potentially market moving and material. Therefore, all Index Committee discussions are confidential.

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