Risk Factors
This section describes the material risks relating to the securities. For further discussion of these and other risks, you should read the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product supplement, index supplement and prospectus. You should also consult with your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers in connection with your investment in the securities.
Risks Relating to an Investment in the Securities
￭The securities do not pay interest and provide for the minimum payment at maturity of only 15% of your principal. The terms of the securities differ from those of ordinary debt securities in that the securities do not pay interest and provide for the minimum return of only 15% of the principal amount at maturity. At maturity, you will receive for each $1,000 stated principal amount of securities that you hold an amount in cash based upon the final index value of each underlying index. If the final index value of either underlying index is less than 85% of its respective initial index value, you will lose 1% of your principal for every 1% decline in the final index value of the worst performing underlying index beyond the buffer amount of 15%. You could lose up to 85% of the stated principal amount of the securities.
￭Appreciation potential is fixed and limited. Where the final index value of each underlying index is greater than or equal to its respective downside threshold value, the appreciation potential of the securities is limited to the fixed upside payment of $108.50 per security (10.85% of the stated principal amount), even if both underlying indices have appreciated substantially.
￭The amount payable on the securities is not linked to the values of the underlying indices at any time other than the valuation date. The final index value of each underlying index will be based on the index closing value of such underlying index on the valuation date, subject to postponement for non-index business days and certain market disruption events. Even if the values of both underlying indices appreciate prior to the valuation date but the value of either underlying index drops by the valuation date, the payment at maturity may be less, and may be significantly less, than it would have been had the payment at maturity been linked to the values of the underlying indices prior to such drop. Although the actual values of the underlying indices on the stated maturity date or at other times during the term of the securities may be higher than their respective final index values, the payment at maturity will be based solely on the index closing values on the valuation date.
￭The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange and secondary trading may be limited. The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Therefore, there may be little or no secondary market for the securities. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, which we refer to as MS & Co., may, but is not obligated to, make a market in the securities and, if it once chooses to make a market, may cease doing so at any time. When it does make a market, it will generally do so for transactions of routine secondary market size at prices based on its estimate of the current value of the securities, taking into account its bid/offer spread, our credit spreads, market volatility, the notional size of the proposed sale, the cost of unwinding any related hedging positions, the time remaining to maturity and the likelihood that it will be able to resell the securities. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the securities easily. Since other broker-dealers may not participate significantly in the secondary market for the securities, the price at which you may be able to trade your securities is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which MS & Co. is willing to transact. If, at any time, MS & Co. were to cease making a market in the securities, it is likely that there would be no secondary market for the securities. Accordingly, you should be willing to hold your securities to maturity.
￭The market price of the securities may be influenced by many unpredictable factors. Several factors, many of which are beyond our control, will influence the value of the securities in the secondary market and the price at which MS & Co. may be willing to purchase or sell the securities in the secondary market, including:
othe values of the underlying indices at any time (including in relation to their initial index values),
othe volatility (frequency and magnitude of changes in value) of the underlying indices,
odividend rates on the securities underlying the underlying indices,
ointerest and yield rates in the market,
ogeopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the component stocks of the underlying indices or securities markets generally and which may affect the value of the underlying indices,
othe time remaining until the maturity of the securities,
othe composition of the underlying indices and changes in the constituent stocks of the underlying indices, and
oany actual or anticipated changes in our credit ratings or credit spreads.
