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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Statement No. 333-198735

 

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

$2,375,000

TOPIX-Linked Notes due 2016

 

 

 

The notes do not bear interest.  The amount that you will be paid on your notes on the stated maturity date (July 25, 2016) is based on the performance of the TOPIX, as measured from the trade date (January 20, 2015) to and including the determination date (July 20, 2016).  The return on your notes will equal the index return, which is the percentage increase or decrease in the final index level on the determination date from the initial index level of 1,397.63.  If the final index level is less than the initial index level, you will receive less than the face amount of your notes.  If the final index level is zero, you will lose your entire investment in the notes.

 

On the stated maturity date, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, you will receive an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of the index return times $1,000.

 

Your investment in the notes involves certain risks, including, among other things, our credit risk.  See page S-6.

 

You should read the additional disclosure herein so that you may better understand the terms and risks of your investment.

 

The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes were set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Goldman, Sachs & Co. (GS&Co.) and taking into account our credit spreads) was equal to approximately $981 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price.  The value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise equals approximately $990 per $1,000 face amount, which exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models.  The amount of the excess will decline on a straight line basis over the period from the trade date through April 20, 2015.

 

Original issue date:

January 27, 2015

Original issue price:

99.97% of the face amount

Underwriting discount:

1.08% of the face amount

Net proceeds to the issuer:

98.89% of the face amount

 

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

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Prospectus Supplement No. 3445 dated January 20, 2015.

 



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

 

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

 

 

About Your Prospectus

 

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

 

·                  Prospectus supplement dated September 15, 2014

 

·                  Prospectus dated September 15, 2014

 

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

 

 

 



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SUMMARY INFORMATION

 

 

 

We refer to the notes we are offering by this prospectus supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”.  Each of the offered notes, including your notes, has the terms described below and under “Specific Terms of Your Notes” on page S-14.  Please note that in this prospectus supplement, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its consolidated subsidiaries, while references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries.  Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated September 15, 2014, as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated September 15, 2014, in each case relating to the Medium-Term Notes, Series D of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.  References to the “indenture” in this prospectus supplement mean the senior debt indenture, dated July 16, 2008, between The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee.

 

 

 

Key Terms

 

Issuer:  The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

Index:  the TOPIX (Bloomberg Symbol, “TPX Index”), as maintained by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. (“TSE”); see “The Index” on page S-20

 

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

 

Face amount:  each note will have a face amount of $1,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; $2,375,000 in the aggregate for all the offered notes; the aggregate face amount of the offered notes may be increased if the issuer, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount of the offered notes on a date subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement

 

Payment amount:  on the stated maturity date, we will pay you, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, an amount in cash equal to the sum of (1) $1,000 plus (2) the product of (i) $1,000 times (ii) the index return

 

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

 

Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences:  you will be obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes — in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary — to characterize each note for all tax purposes as a pre-paid derivative contract in respect of the index, as described under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” on page S-26 below. Pursuant to this approach, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP that upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, it would be reasonable for you to recognize short-term capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time and your tax basis in your notes.

 

Trade date: January 20, 2015

 

Settlement date (original issue date):  January 27, 2015

 

Initial index level: 1,397.63

 

Final index level:  the closing level of the index on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-15 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” on page S-15

 

Closing level:  the official closing level of the index or any successor index published by the index sponsor on any trading day for the index

 

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

 

Stated maturity date:  July 25, 2016, subject to adjustment as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Stated Maturity Date” on page S-15

 

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Determination date:  July 20, 2016, subject to adjustment as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date — Determination Date” on page S-15

 

No interest:  the notes do not bear interest

 

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

 

Market disruption event:  as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Market Disruption Event” on page S-17

 

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

 

Calculation agent:  Goldman, Sachs & Co.

 

Business day:  as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Business Day” on page S-16

 

Trading day:  as described under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Trading Day” on page S-16

 

CUSIP no.: 38148L296

 

ISIN no.: US38148L2960

 

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

 

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HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES

 

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

 

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

 

The information in the table reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming that they are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date.  If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to the stated maturity date, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the table below such as interest rates and the volatility of the index. In addition, the estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes were set on the trade date (as determined by reference to pricing models used by Goldman, Sachs & Co.) was less than the original issue price of your notes.  For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Were Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By Goldman, Sachs & Co.) Was Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes” on page S-6.

 

For these reasons, the actual performance of the index over the life of the offered notes, as well as the payment amount at maturity, if any, may bear little or no relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical closing levels of the index shown elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.  For information about the closing level of the index during recent periods, see “The Index — Historical Closing Levels of the Index” on page S-23.

 

Any rate of return you may earn on an investment in the notes may be lower than that which you could earn on a comparable investment in the index stocks.  Among other things, the return on the notes will not reflect any dividends that may be paid on the index stocks.

 

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

 

The table below shows the hypothetical payment amounts that we would deliver on the stated maturity date in exchange for each $1,000 face amount of the notes if the final index level (expressed as a percentage of the initial index level) were any of the hypothetical levels shown in the left column.

 

The table below assumes that the notes are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to the stated maturity date.  The table below assumes that there is no change in or affecting the method by which the index sponsor calculates the index and that no market disruption event occurs with respect to the index on the determination date.

 

The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final index levels and are expressed as percentages of the initial index level.  The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical payment amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final index level (expressed as a percentage of the initial index level), and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of a percent).  Thus, a hypothetical payment amount of 100.00% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.00% of the face amount of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final index level (expressed as a percentage of the initial index level) and the assumptions noted above.

 

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

Hypothetical Payment Amount
(as Percentage of Face Amount)

150.00%

150.00%

140.00%

140.00%

125.00%

125.00%

115.00%

115.00%

110.00%

110.00%

105.00%

105.00%

100.00%

100.00%

95.00%

95.00%

90.00%

90.00%

85.00%

85.00%

75.00%

75.00%

50.00%

50.00%

25.00%

25.00%

0.00%

0.00%

 

The payment amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on market prices for the index stocks that may not be achieved on the determination date and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous.  The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to sell your notes, may bear little relation to the hypothetical payment amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes.  The hypothetical payment amounts on notes held to the stated maturity date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes.  The return on your investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be affected by the amount you pay for your notes.  If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above examples.  Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-8.

 

Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us (with one or more implicit option premiums paid over time). The discussion in this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

 

 

 

An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus dated September 15, 2014 and in the accompanying prospectus supplement dated September 15, 2014.  You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying prospectus dated September 15, 2014 as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement dated September 15, 2014 of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.  Your notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the index stocks, i.e., the stocks comprising the index to which your notes are linked. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are suited to your particular circumstances.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer

 

Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of the index, the payment of any amount due on the notes is subject to our credit risk. The notes are our unsecured obligations.  Investors are dependent on our ability to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness.  See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes, Series D Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

You May Lose Your Entire Investment in the Notes

 

You can lose your entire investment in the notes.  The cash payment on your notes, if any, on the stated maturity date will be based on the performance of the TOPIX as measured from the initial index level to the closing level on the determination date.  If the final index level is less than the initial index level, you will have a loss for each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes equal to the index return times $1,000.  Thus, you may lose your entire investment in the notes, which would include any premium to face amount you paid when you purchased the notes.

 

Also, the market price of your notes prior to the stated maturity date may be significantly lower than the purchase price you pay for your notes.  Consequently, if you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, you may receive far less than the amount of your investment in the notes.

 

The Amount Payable on Your Notes Is Not Linked to the Level of the Index at Any Time Other Than the Determination Date

 

The final index level will be based on the closing level of the index on the determination date (subject to adjustment as described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement).  Therefore, if the final index level drops below the initial index level, you will receive less than the face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date and may lose all or a substantial portion of your investment in the notes.  The payment amount for your notes will be significantly less than it would have been had the payment amount been linked to the closing level of the index prior to such drop in the level of the index. Although the actual level of the index on the stated maturity date or at other times during the life of your notes may be higher than the final index level, you will not benefit from the closing level of the index at any time other than on the determination date.

 

Your Notes Are Linked to an Index Which Has Components Listed or Located Outside the United States; Your Investment in the Notes Will Be Subject to Risks Associated with Foreign Securities Markets

 

Your notes are linked to an index which has components that have their primary listing on an exchange located outside the U.S. or may include stocks issued by foreign companies. You should be aware that investments in securities linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Such foreign securities markets may have less liquidity and may be more volatile than U.S. or other securities markets and market developments may affect foreign markets differently from U.S. or other securities markets. Direct or indirect government intervention to stabilize these foreign securities markets, as well as cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in these markets. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.

 

Securities prices in foreign countries are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that apply in those geographical regions. These factors, which could negatively affect those securities markets, include the possibility of recent or future changes in a foreign government’s economic and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies, the possibility of outbreaks of hostility and political instability and the possibility of natural disaster or adverse public health development in the region. Moreover, foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in important respects such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources and self-sufficiency.

 

Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest

 

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

 

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Past Index Performance is No Guide to Future Performance

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

·      the level of the index;

 

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

 

·      the dividend rates of the stocks underlying the index;

 

·      economic, financial, legislative regulatory and political, military or other events that affect the stock markets generally and the stocks underlying the index, and which may affect the level of the index;

 

·      other interest rates and yield rates in the market;

 

·      the time remaining until your notes mature; and

 

·      our creditworthiness, whether actual or perceived, including actual or anticipated upgrades or downgrades in our credit ratings or changes in other credit measures.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The Return on Your Notes Will Not Be Adjusted for Changes in the Foreign Currency Exchange Rate

 

The amount payable on your notes at maturity will not be adjusted for changes in the Japanese yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate. The amount payable on the stated maturity date will be based solely upon the overall change in the level of the index over the life of your notes. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates, however, may reflect changes in the economy of the foreign countries in which the index’s component stocks are listed that, in turn, may affect the final index level.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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Goldman Sachs regularly provides financial advisory, investment advisory and transactional services to a substantial and diversified client base, and you should assume that Goldman Sachs will, at present or in the future, provide such services or otherwise engage in transactions with, among others, the sponsors of the index or the issuers of the index stocks, or transact in securities or instruments or with parties that are directly or indirectly related to the foregoing.  These services could include making loans to or equity investments in those companies, providing financial advisory or other investment banking services, or issuing research reports.  You should expect that Goldman Sachs, in providing such services, engaging in such transactions, or acting for its own account, may take actions that have direct or indirect effects on the index or index stocks, as applicable, and that such actions could be adverse to the interests of investors in the notes.  In addition, in connection with these activities, certain Goldman Sachs personnel may have access to confidential material non-public information about these parties that would not be disclosed to Goldman Sachs employees that were not working on such transactions as Goldman Sachs has established internal information barriers that are designed to preserve the confidentiality of non-public information.  Therefore, any such confidential material non-public information would not be shared with Goldman Sachs employees involved in structuring, selling or making markets in the notes or with investors in the notes.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

As calculation agent for your notes, Goldman, Sachs & Co. will have discretion in making various determinations that affect your notes, including determining the final index level on the determination date, which we will use to determine the amount we must pay on the stated maturity date; determining whether to postpone the determination date because of a market disruption event or a non-trading day; the stated maturity date; the default amount and any amount payable on your notes.  See “Specific Terms of Your Notes” below.  The calculation agent also has discretion in making certain adjustments relating to a discontinuation or modification of the index.  See “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below.  The exercise of this discretion by Goldman, Sachs & Co. could adversely affect the value of your notes and may present Goldman, Sachs & Co. with a conflict of interest.  We may change the calculation agent at any time without notice and Goldman, Sachs & Co. may resign as calculation agent at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to Goldman Sachs.

 

The Policies of the Index Sponsor and Changes That Affect the Index or the Index Stocks Could Affect the Payment Amount on Your Notes and Their Market Value

 

The policies of the index sponsor concerning the calculation of the level of the index, additions, deletions or substitutions of index stocks and the manner in which changes affecting the index stocks or their issuers, such as stock dividends, reorganizations or mergers, are reflected in the level of the index could affect the level of the index and, therefore, the payment amount on your notes on the stated maturity date and the market value of your notes before that date.  The payment amount on your notes and their market value could also be affected if the index sponsor changes these policies, for example, by changing the manner in which it calculates the level of the index or if the index sponsor discontinues or suspends calculation or publication of the level of the index, in which case it may become difficult to determine the market value of your notes.  If events such as these occur, or if the closing level of the index is not available on the determination date because of a market disruption event or for any other reason, the calculation agent — which initially will be Goldman, Sachs & Co., our affiliate — may determine the closing level of the index on the determination date — and thus the

 

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payment amount on the stated maturity date — in a manner it considers appropriate, in its sole discretion.  We describe the discretion that the calculation agent will have in determining the closing level of the index on the determination date and the payment amount on your notes more fully under “Specific Terms of Your Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” and “— Role of Calculation Agent” below.

 

There Is No Affiliation Between the Index Stock Issuers or the Index Sponsor and Us, and We Are Not Responsible for Any Disclosure by Any of the Other Index Stock Issuers or the Index Sponsor

 

Goldman Sachs is not affiliated with the issuers of the index stocks or the index sponsor.  As we have told you above, however, we or our affiliates may currently or from time to time in the future own securities of, or engage in business with the index sponsor or the index stock issuers.  Nevertheless, neither we nor any of our affiliates assumes any responsibility for the accuracy or the completeness of any information about the index or any of the other index stock issuers. You, as an investor in your notes, should make your own investigation into the index and the index stock issuers.  See “The Index” below for additional information about the index.

 

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

 

Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Certain Considerations for Insurance Companies and Employee Benefit Plans

 

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

 

Your Notes May Be Subject to an Adverse Change in Tax Treatment in the Future

 

The tax consequences of an investment in your notes are uncertain, both as to the timing and character of any inclusion in income in respect of your notes.

 

The Internal Revenue Service announced on December 7, 2007 that it is considering issuing guidance regarding the tax treatment of an instrument such as your notes, and any such guidance could adversely affect the value and the tax treatment of your notes. Among other things, the Internal Revenue Service may decide to require the holders to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and recognize ordinary income on payment at maturity, and could subject non-U.S. investors to withholding tax.  Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have

 

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required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such notes even though there may be no interest payments over the term of such notes.  It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of such notes.  We describe these developments in more detail under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences — United States Holders — Possible Change in Law” below. You should consult your tax advisor about this matter. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” on page S-26 below unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. Please also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.

 

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

 

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

 

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SPECIFIC TERMS OF YOUR NOTES

 

 

 

We refer to the notes we are offering by this prospectus supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”.  Please note that in this prospectus supplement, references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its consolidated subsidiaries.  Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated September 15, 2014, as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated September 15, 2014, in each case relating to the Medium-Term Notes, Series D, of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.  Please note that in this section entitled “Specific Terms of Your Notes”, references to “holders” mean those who own notes registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in notes registered in street name or in notes issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company.  Please review the special considerations that apply to owners of beneficial interests in the accompanying prospectus, under “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

In addition to those terms described on the first three pages of this prospectus supplement, the following terms will apply to your notes:

 

No interest:  we will not pay interest on your notes

 

Specified currency:

 

·      U.S. dollars (“$”)

 

Form of note:

 

·      global form only:  yes, at DTC

 

·      non-global form available:  no

 

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

 

Defeasance applies as follows:

 

·      full defeasance:  no

 

·      covenant defeasance:  no

 

Other terms:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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Index, Index Sponsor and Index Stocks

 

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

 

Payment of Principal on Stated Maturity Date

 

The payment amount for each $1,000 face amount of notes outstanding on the stated maturity date will be an amount in cash equal to the sum of (1) $1,000 plus (2) the product of (i) $1,000 times (ii) the index return.

 

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

 

The initial index level is 1,397.63. The calculation agent will determine the final index level, which will be the closing level of the index on the determination date as calculated and published by the index sponsor.  However, the calculation agent will have discretion to adjust the closing level on the determination date or to determine it in a different manner as described under “— Consequences of a Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” and “— Discontinuance or Modification of the Index” below.

 

Stated Maturity Date

 

The stated maturity date is July 25, 2016, unless that day is not a business day, in which case the stated maturity date will be the next following business day. If the determination date is postponed as described under “— Determination Date” below, the stated maturity date will be postponed by the same number of business day(s) from but excluding the originally scheduled determination date to and including the actual determination date.

 

Determination Date

 

The determination date is July 20, 2016, unless the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on that day or that day is not otherwise a trading day. In that event, the determination date will be the first following trading day on which the calculation agent determines that a market disruption event does not occur and is not continuing. In no event, however, will the determination date be postponed to a date later than the originally scheduled stated maturity date or, if the originally scheduled stated maturity date is not a business day, later than the first business day after the originally scheduled stated maturity date. If the determination date is postponed to the last possible day, but a market disruption event occurs or is continuing on that day or that day is not a trading day, that day will nevertheless be the determination date.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Discontinuance or Modification of the Index

 

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

 

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

 

If the calculation agent determines that the index, the stocks comprising the index or the method of calculating the index is changed at any time in any respect — including any split or reverse split and any addition, deletion or substitution and any reweighting or rebalancing of the index or of the index stocks and whether the change is made by the index sponsor under its existing policies or following a modification of those policies, is due to the publication of a successor index, is

 

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due to events affecting one or more of the index stocks or their issuers or is due to any other reason — and is not otherwise reflected in the level of the index by the index sponsor pursuant to the then-current index methodology of the index, then the calculation agent will be permitted (but not required) to make such adjustments in the index or the method of its calculation as it believes are appropriate to ensure that the levels of the index used to determine the payment amount on the stated maturity date is equitable.

 

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

 

Default Amount on Acceleration

 

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

 

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

 

Manner of Payment

 

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

 

Modified Business Day

 

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

 

Role of Calculation Agent

 

The calculation agent in its sole discretion will make all determinations regarding the index, market disruption events, business days, trading days, the index return, the final index level, the determination date and the payment amount on your notes at maturity.  Absent manifest error, all determinations of the calculation agent will be final and binding on you and us, without any liability on the part of the calculation agent.

 

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

 

Special Calculation Provisions

 

Business Day

 

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

 

Trading Day

 

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

 

Default Amount

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Default Quotation Period

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Qualified Financial Institutions

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Market Disruption Event

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The following events will not be market disruption events:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

·      a price change exceeding limits set by that market,

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the offered notes for the purposes we describe in the accompanying prospectus under “Use of Proceeds”.

 

HEDGING

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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THE INDEX

 

The TOPIX, also known as the Tokyo Stock Price Index, is a capitalization weighted index of all the domestic common stocks listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc., which we refer to as the TSE.  Domestic stocks admitted to the TSE are assigned either to the TSE First Section Index, the TSE Second Section Index or the TSE Mothers Index.  Stocks listed in the First Section, which number approximately 1,700, are among the most actively traded stocks on the TSE.  The TOPIX is calculated and published by TSE. Additional information about the TOPIX is available on the following website: http://www.tse.or.jp/english/market/topix/index.html.   We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this prospectus supplement.

 

As of December 31, 2014, the 33 industry sectors which comprise the TOPIX Index represent the following weights in the index:

 

Sector:*

Percentage (%)**

Air Transportation

0.63%

Banks

9.05%

Chemicals

6.03%

Construction

2.72%

Electric Appliances

13.04%

Electric Power & Gas

2.09%

Fishery, Agriculture & Forestry

0.08%

Foods

3.97%

Glass & Ceramics Products

0.94%

Information & Communication

6.73%

Insurance

2.45%

Iron & Steel

1.60%

Land Transportation

4.03%

Machinery

5.28%

Marine Transportation

0.33%

Metal Products

0.66%

Mining

0.44%

Nonferrous Metals

0.97%

Oil & Coal Products

0.50%

Other Financing Business

1.24%

Other Products

1.38%

Pharmaceutical

4.47%

Precision Instruments

1.45%

Pulp & Paper

0.23%

Real Estate

3.06%

Retail Trade

4.16%

Rubber Products

0.92%

Securities & Commodity Futures

1.42%

Services

2.97%

Textiles & Apparels

0.78%

Transportation Equipments

11.99%

Warehousing & Harbor Transportation Services

0.23%

Wholesale Trade

4.17%

* Sector designations are determined by the index sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.

** Information provided by TSE. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

 

TOPIX Index Composition and Maintenance.  The TOPIX is comprised of all domestic common stocks listed on the TSE First Section, excluding certain types of securities such as subscription warrant securities and preferred equity contribution securities.  Companies scheduled to be delisted or newly listed companies that are still in the waiting period are excluded from the indices.  The TOPIX has no constituent review.  The number of constituents will change according to new listings and delistings.  The reasons for stock additions and deletions to the TSE First Section are described further below.

 

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TOPIX Index Calculation.  The TOPIX is a free-float-adjusted market-capitalization-weighted index, which reflects movements in the market capitalization as measured from a base index value of 100 set on the base date of January 4, 1968. The discussion below describes the “price return” calculation of the TOPIX.

 

TSE calculates the TOPIX by multiplying the base index value of 100 by the quotient of the current free-float-adjusted market value divided by the base market value.  The resulting value is not expressed in Japanese yen but presented as a number of points, rounded to the nearest one hundredth.  The formula for calculating the TOPIX value can be expressed as follows:

 

Index value  =

Base index value of 100

x

Current free-float-adjusted market value

 

 

 

Base market value

 

The current free-float-adjusted market value is the sum of the products of the price times the number of free-float-adjusted shares for each constituent stock.

 

The number of free-float-adjusted shares for this calculation is the number of listed shares multiplied by free-float weight.  The number of listed shares used for this purpose is usually the same as the number of actual listed shares. However, in some cases these numbers will differ as a consequence of the index methodology.  For instance, in the case of a stock split, the number of listed shares will increase on the additional listing date after the stock split becomes effective; on the other hand, the number of listed shares for index calculation purposes will increase on the ex-rights date.

 

Free-float weight is the weight of listed shares deemed to be available for trading in the market, and is determined and calculated by the TSE for each constituent stock.  It is calculated by subtracting the quotient of non-free-float shares divided by listed shares from one.  Free-float weight is reviewed once a year in order to reflect the latest distribution of share ownership.  The TSE estimates non-free-float shares using publicly available documents, and generally deems shares held by the top ten major shareholders (with certain exceptions), treasury stocks and shares held by members of the issuer’s board of directors to be unavailable for trading in the market.  The TSE may deem other shares to be unavailable for trading in the market.  The timing of the yearly free- float-weight review is different according to the settlement terms of listed companies.  In addition to the yearly review, extraordinary reviews may be conducted for events TSE expects will significantly affect the free-float weight.  These include when new shares are allocated to a third party, preferred shares are converted or subscription warrants are exercised, as well as in the event of a company spin-off, merger, stock-swap, take-over bid and other events TSE judges deem will significantly affect free-float weight.

 

In the event of any increase or decrease in the current free-float-adjusted market value due to causes other than fluctuations in the stock market, such as public offerings or changes in the number of listed companies in the TSE First Section, adjustments are made by TSE to the base market value in order to maintain the continuity of the TOPIX.  The base market value will be adjusted after the end of the trading session on the adjustment date.

 

Additions and Deletions to the TSE First Section (and therefore, the TOPIX)

 

TSE adds or removes securities for various listing and delisting events as shown in the table below.

 

Additions and Deletions of Constituents

 

 

 

Event

 

Adjustment date

 

Price used for adjustment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addition

 

A company is to be newly listed on the TSE First Section (directly listed or via another stock exchange)

 

Last business day of the month after such listing

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addition

 

A new company established through a corporate consolidation, stock transfer, stock-swap, merger which establishes a new company or company spin-off is to be listed on the TOPIX after the de-listing of the old company from the TOPIX

 

New listing date. If the initial listing date falls on a holiday, it will be the following business day

 

Base price

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addition

 

Assignment to the TSE First Section from the TSE Second Section, Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Index or JASDAQ markets.

 

Last business day of the month after such assignment (a free float weight of 0.00 is used from the assignment date to the month after the assignment date and thus the number of shares to be used for calculation will be 0.00 during such period)

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date.

Deletion

 

Company to be de-listed due to a corporate consolidation, stock transfer, stock-swap,

 

Listing date of the newly formed company (normally three business days following

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

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merger which establishes a new company or company spin-off and a newly formed company being listed on the TOPIX.

 

delisting date)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deletion

 

A constituent is to be de-listed due to a reason other than as described in the preceding scenario

 

De-listing date

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deletion

 

A constituent’s securities are designated to be de-listed

 

Four business days after designation.  If the designation date falls on a holiday, it will be the following business day

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deletion

 

Assignment to the TSE Second Section or JASDAQ from the TSE First Section

 

Date of change

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Addition

 

A company is to be newly listed on the TSE First Section (directly listed or via another stock exchange)

 

Last business day of the month after such listing

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

The adjusted base market value will equal the old base market value multiplied by the quotient of the free-float-adjusted market value on the business day before the adjustment date plus or minus, as applicable, the adjustment amount divided by the free-float-adjusted market value on the business day before the adjustment date.

 

The adjustment amount for the foregoing calculation will be an amount equal to the product of the change (the absolute value of the increase or decrease) in the number of shares times the price of the shares.

 

Changes in the number of shares and the price of the shares for adjustments to the base market value will be made as described in the table below.

 

Change in the Number of Constituent Shares

 

Event

 

Adjustment date

 

Price used for adjustment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change of free float weight

 

Date of change

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Public offering

 

Additional listing date (day after payment date). If listing date falls on a holiday, the next business day

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Allocation of new shares to a third party

 

Five business days after additional listing date (two business days after payment date)

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

Issues to shareholders with payment

 

Ex-rights date

 

Payment price per share

Exercise of subscription warrants

 

Last business day of the month following exercise

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Conversion of preferred shares

 

Last business day of the month following conversion

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Cancellation of treasury stock

 

Last business day of the month following cancellation

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Merger or stock swap between a non-surviving constituent and another constituent

 

Delisting date of the non-surviving constituent

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

Merger or stock-swap other than that described above

 

Listing change date (effective date)

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Rights offering

 

Ex-rights date

 

Payment price per share

Offering for sale of shares held by the Japanese government

 

Date determined by TSE (generally the delivery date)

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

Company spin-off in which the number of shares of the succeeding company increases

 

Listing change date (the effective date)

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

 

 

 

 

Other adjustments

 

Last business day of the month in which the information appears in “Sho-ho” (TSE Notice) or the last business day of the following month

 

Stock price at the end of trading on the business day before adjustment date

 

No adjustments will be made to the base market value in the case of a stock split or reverse stock split.

 

Retroactive adjustments will not be made to revise the figures of the index that have already been calculated and disseminated even if issuing companies file amendments on previously released information.

 

Market Disruption. If trading in a certain constituent is halted, the TSE regards the constituent’s share price for purposes of calculating the TOPIX to be unchanged. Where an event that is not specified in the rules of the TOPIX occurs, or if the

 

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TSE decides that it is impossible to use its existing methods to calculate the TOPIX, the TSE may use an alternate method of index calculation as it deems valid.

 

Historical Closing Levels of the Index

 

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

 

You should not take the historical closing levels of the index as an indication of the future performance of the index.  We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of the index or the index stocks will result in your receiving an amount greater than the outstanding face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date.

 

Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the index.  Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the relevant index levels between the date of this prospectus supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.  The actual performance of the index over the life of the offered notes, as well as the payment amount at maturity may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.

 

The graph below shows the daily historical closing levels of the index from January 20, 2005 through January 20, 2015. We obtained the closing levels in the graph below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification.

 

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License Agreement

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (“GS Group”) expects to enter into a license agreement with TSE, in exchange for a fee, whereby GS Group will be permitted to use the TOPIX in connection with the offer and sale of the notes. Except for stock holdings our affiliates may have in the TSE, we are not affiliated with TSE; the only relationship between TSE and GS Group is the licensing of the use of the TOPIX and trademarks relating to the TOPIX.

 

The notes are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by TSE.  No inference should be drawn from the information contained in this prospectus supplement that TSE makes any representation or warranty, implied or express, to GS Group, any holder of the notes or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the notes in particular or the ability of the TOPIX to track general stock market performance.

 

TSE determines, composes and calculates the TOPIX without regard to the notes.  TSE has no obligation to take into account your interest, or that of anyone else having an interest, in the notes in determining, composing or calculating the TOPIX.  TSE is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the terms, prices or amount of the notes and will not be responsible for or participate in any determination or calculation regarding the principal amount of the notes payable at the stated maturity date or upon redemption. TSE has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the notes.

 

Neither GS Group nor any of its affiliates accepts any responsibility for the calculation, maintenance or publication of the TOPIX or any successor index.  TSE disclaims all responsibility for any errors or omissions in the calculation and dissemination of the TOPIX or the manner in which the TOPIX is applied in determining any initial index level or final index level or any amount payable upon maturity or redemption of the notes.

 

THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE AND THE TOPIX MARKS ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OWNED BY THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. AND THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. OWNS ALL RIGHTS AND KNOW-HOW RELATING TO THE TOPIX SUCH AS CALCULATION, PUBLICATION AND USE OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE AND RELATING TO THE TOPIX MARKS.  THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. SHALL RESERVE THE RIGHTS TO CHANGE THE METHODS OF CALCULATION OR PUBLICATION, TO CEASE THE CALCULATION OR PUBLICATION OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE OR TO CHANGE THE TOPIX MARKS OR CEASE THE USE THEREOF.  THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER, EITHER AS TO THE RESULTS STEMMED FROM THE USE OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE AND THE TOPIX MARKS OR AS TO THE FIGURE AT WHICH THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE STANDS ON ANY PARTICULAR DAY.  THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. GIVES NO ASSURANCE REGARDING ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE AND DATA CONTAINED THEREIN.  FURTHER, THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE MISCALCULATION, INCORRECT PUBLICATION, DELAYED OR INTERRUPTED PUBLICATION OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE.  NO NOTES ARE IN ANY WAY SPONSORED, ENDORSED OR PROMOTED BY THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC.  THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. SHALL NOT BEAR ANY OBLIGATION TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION OF THE NOTES OR AN ADVICE ON INVESTMENTS TO ANY PURCHASER OF THE NOTES OR TO THE PUBLIC.  THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. NEITHER SELECTS SPECIFIC STOCKS OR GROUPS THEREOF NOR TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ANY NEEDS OF THE ISSUING COMPANY OR ANY PURCHASER OF THE NOTES, FOR CALCULATION OF THE TOPIX INDEX VALUE.  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOREGOING, THE TOKYO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE ISSUE AND SALE OF THE NOTES.

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

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

 

The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. In addition, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP that the characterization of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes that will be required under the terms of the notes, as discussed below, is a reasonable interpretation of current law.

 

This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:

 

·      a dealer in securities or currencies;

 

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

 

·      a bank;

 

·      a life insurance company;

 

·      a tax exempt organization;

 

·      a partnership;

 

·      a regulated investment company;

 

·      a common trust fund;

 

·      a person that owns a note as a hedge or that is hedged against interest rate or currency risks;

 

·      a person that owns a note as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes; or

 

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

 

Although this section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect, no statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in your notes are uncertain. Moreover, these laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

United States Holders

 

This section applies to you only if you are a United States holder that holds your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of each of your notes and you are:

 

·      a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

·      a domestic corporation;

 

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

 

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

 

Tax Treatment. You will be obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes – in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary – to characterize your notes for all tax purposes as pre-paid derivative contracts in respect of the index. Except as otherwise stated below, the discussion herein assumes that the notes will be so treated.

 

Upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes, you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time and your tax basis in your notes. Your tax basis in the notes will generally be equal to the amount that you paid for the notes. If you hold your notes for more than one year, the gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss. If you hold your notes for one year or less, the gain or loss generally will be short-term capital gain or loss. Short-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at the marginal tax rates applicable to ordinary income.

 

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No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and alternative characterizations are possible. Accordingly, we urge you to consult your tax advisor in determining the tax consequences of an investment in your 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.

 

Alternative Treatments. There is no judicial or administrative authority discussing how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service might assert that a treatment other than that described above is more appropriate. For example, the Internal Revenue Service could treat your notes as a single debt instrument subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments. Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each accrual period would be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for the notes and applying rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment schedule. This method is applied by first determining the comparable yield – i.e., the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes – and then determining a payment schedule as of the issue date that would produce the comparable yield. These rules may have the effect of requiring you to include interest in income in respect of your notes prior to your receipt of cash attributable to that income.

 

If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, any income you recognize upon the sale, exchange or maturity of your notes would be ordinary interest income. Any loss you recognize at that time would be ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes, and thereafter, as a capital loss.

 

If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, special rules would apply to a person who purchases notes at a price other than the adjusted issue price as determined for tax purposes.

 

It is also possible that your notes could be treated in the manner described above, except that any gain or loss that you recognize at maturity would be treated as ordinary gain or loss. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

It is possible that the Internal Revenue Service could seek to characterize your notes in a manner that results in tax consequences to you that are different from those described above. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Possible Change in Law

 

On December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released a notice stating that the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are actively considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as the offered notes, including whether holders should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and whether gain or loss should be ordinary or capital. It is not possible to determine what guidance they will ultimately issue, if any. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the significance, and the potential impact, of the above considerations. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described above under “Tax Treatment” unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative action may adversely affect the tax treatment and the value of your notes.

 

Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such notes even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such notes. It is not possible to predict whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of such notes.

 

It is impossible to predict what any such legislation or administrative or regulatory guidance might provide, and whether the effective date of any legislation or guidance will affect notes that were issued before the date that such legislation or guidance is issued. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative action may adversely affect the tax treatment of your notes.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting—United States Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting rules to payments made on your notes.

 

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United States Alien Holders

 

This section applies to you only if you are a United States alien holder. You are a United States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of notes and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

·      a nonresident alien individual;

 

·      a foreign corporation; or

 

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

 

You will be subject to generally applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements as discussed in the accompanying prospectus under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting — United States Alien Holders” with respect to payments on your notes at maturity and, notwithstanding that we do not intend to treat the notes as debt for tax purposes, we intend to backup withhold on such payments with respect to your notes unless you comply with the requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding on debt instruments (in which case you will not be subject to such backup withholding) as set forth under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Alien Holders” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative characterization of the notes, by reason of a change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments at maturity with respect to the notes to become subject to withholding tax, we will withhold tax at the applicable statutory rate and we will not make payments of any additional amounts. Prospective United States alien holders of the notes should consult their tax advisor in this regard.

 

Furthermore, on December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released Notice 2008-2 soliciting comments from the public on various issues, including whether instruments such as your notes should be subject to withholding. It is therefore possible that rules will be issued in the future, possibly with retroactive effect, that would cause payments on your notes at maturity to be subject to withholding, even if you comply with certification requirements as to your foreign status.

 

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding

 

Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt Securities—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to FATCA withholding. However, according to final Treasury regulations, the withholding tax described above will not apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the notes (including payment at maturity) made before January 1, 2017.

 

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EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has agreed to sell to Goldman, Sachs & Co., and Goldman, Sachs & Co. has agreed to purchase from The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this prospectus supplement. Goldman, Sachs & Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement.  The underwriting discount set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement per $1,000 face amount is comprised of $1.00 of underwriting fees and $9.80 of selling commission.

 

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

 

We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on January 27, 2015, which is the fifth scheduled business day following the date of this prospectus supplement and of the pricing of the notes. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to three business days before delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes will initially settle in five business days (T + 5), to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

 

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

 

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”) with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) an offer of the offered notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement in relation thereto may not be made to the public in that Relevant Member State except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of such offered notes may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State:

 

(a) at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

(b) at any time to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant dealer or dealers nominated by the Issuer for any such offer; or

 

(c) at any time in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

 

provided that no such offer of offered notes shall require the Issuer or any dealer to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For the purposes of this provision, the expression “an offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State. The expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co. has represented and agreed that:

 

(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the offered notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; and

 

(b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

 

No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), if such advertisement, invitation or document is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to

 

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do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the offered notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside of Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Where the offered notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the offered notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

 

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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES

 

In the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, as counsel to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., when the notes offered by this prospectus supplement have been executed and issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 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 The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the Federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and the genuineness of signatures and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of such counsel dated September 15, 2014, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.5 to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 15, 2014.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

$2,375,000

 

 

 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

 

 

TOPIX-Linked Notes due 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 


 

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary Information

 

S-2

 

Hypothetical Examples

 

S-4

 

Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes

 

S-6

 

Specific Terms of Your Notes

 

S-14

 

Use of Proceeds

 

S-19

 

Hedging

 

S-19

 

The Index

 

S-20

 

Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

S-26

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

 

S-29

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

 

S-30

 

Validity of the Notes

 

S-32

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated September 15, 2014

 

 

 

Use of Proceeds

 

S-2

 

Description of Notes We May Offer

 

S-3

 

Considerations Relating to Indexed Notes

 

S-19

 

United States Taxation

 

S-22

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

 

S-23

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution

 

S-24

 

Validity of the Notes

 

S-26

 

 

 

Prospectus dated September 15, 2014

 

 

 

Available Information

 

2

 

Prospectus Summary

 

4

 

Use of Proceeds

 

8

 

Description of Debt Securities We May Offer

 

9

 

Description of Warrants We May Offer

 

39

 

Description of Purchase Contracts We May Offer

 

56

 

Description of Units We May Offer

 

61

 

Description of Preferred Stock We May Offer

 

67

 

Description of Capital Securities and Related Instruments

 

67

 

Description of Capital Stock of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

 

75

 

Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance

 

80

 

Considerations Relating to Floating Rate Debt Securities

 

85

 

Considerations Relating to Indexed Securities

 

87

 

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

 

88

 

United States Taxation

 

91

 

Plan of Distribution

 

114

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

117

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

 

118

 

Validity of the Securities

 

119

 

Experts

 

119

 

Review of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

120

 

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

 

120