STOCK TITAN

BMO (NYSE: BERZ) sells autocallable notes tied to URA, IGV, XBI

(Neutral)
Form Type
424B2

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Bank of Montreal is offering US$1,467,000 of Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series K, autocallable barrier notes with memory coupons due February 1, 2028. The notes are linked to the least performing of the Global X Uranium ETF (URA), iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI).

The notes pay a 3.0075% quarterly contingent coupon (about 12.03% per year) if on an observation date each ETF is at or above its 50% coupon barrier. Missed coupons can be paid later under the memory feature. Automatic redemption can occur from July 27, 2026 if each ETF is at or above its initial level.

If not called, investors receive full principal at maturity unless any ETF finishes below its 50% trigger level; in that case they receive shares (or cash) of the worst-performing ETF worth less than the principal, potentially zero. The estimated initial value is $944.76 per $1,000, below the $1,000 issue price, reflecting hedging costs, commissions and the issuer’s pricing.

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FAQ

What is Bank of Montreal’s US$1,467,000 autocallable barrier note linked to URA, IGV and XBI?

It is a senior unsecured structured note due February 1, 2028, linked to three ETFs. Returns depend on the least-performing ETF, with contingent coupons, autocall features, and potential share delivery instead of principal if a trigger event occurs at maturity.

How do the contingent coupons work on the Bank of Montreal BERZ-linked notes?

The notes pay a 3.0075% quarterly contingent coupon, about 12.03% annually, when each ETF closes at or above its 50% coupon barrier on an observation date. Missed coupons can be paid later under the memory feature if barriers are met on a subsequent observation date.

When can the Bank of Montreal autocallable notes be redeemed early?

Beginning July 27, 2026, if on any observation date each reference ETF is at or above 100% of its initial level, the notes are automatically redeemed. Investors then receive principal plus any due contingent coupons, including unpaid coupons captured by the memory feature.

What happens at maturity if the Bank of Montreal notes are not automatically redeemed?

If not called, investors receive $1,000 per note at maturity if no trigger event occurs. If any ETF finishes below its 50% trigger level, investors receive shares (or cash) of the worst-performing ETF worth less than principal, and may lose most or all of their investment.

What are the coupon barrier and trigger levels on the Bank of Montreal notes tied to URA, IGV and XBI?

Each ETF has a coupon barrier and trigger level set at 50% of its initial level. For URA the level is $28.93, for IGV $48.88 and for XBI $64.27. These thresholds determine coupon payments and whether principal is at risk at maturity.

How does the estimated initial value compare to the issue price of the BMO autocallable notes?

The estimated initial value is $944.76 per $1,000 principal amount, lower than the $1,000 issue price. The difference reflects hedging-related costs, the agent’s commission, structuring and selling fees, and the bank’s internal funding rate used to value the embedded derivatives.

 

Registration Statement No.333-285508
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

 

Pricing Supplement dated January 27, 2026 to the Prospectus dated March 25, 2025,
the Prospectus Supplement dated March 25, 2025 and the Product Supplement dated March 25, 2025

 

US$1,467,000
Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series K
Autocallable Barrier Notes with Memory Coupons due February 01, 2028
Linked to the Least Performing of the shares of the Global X Uranium ETF, the shares of the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF and the shares of the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF

·The notes are designed for investors who are seeking quarterly contingent periodic interest payments (as described in more detail below), as well as a return of principal if the closing level of each of the shares of the Global X Uranium ETF, the shares of the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF and the shares of the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF (each, a "Reference Asset" and, collectively, the "Reference Assets") on any quarterly Observation Date beginning in July 2026 is greater than 100% of its Initial Level (the “Call Level”). Investors should be willing to have their notes automatically redeemed prior to maturity, be willing to forego any potential to participate in the appreciation of the shares of the Reference Assets and be willing to lose some or all of their principal at maturity.
·The notes may pay Contingent Coupons at the Contingent Interest Rate of 3.0075% per quarter (approximately 12.03% per annum) depending on the performance of the Reference Assets. If the closing level of each Reference Asset on the applicable quarterly Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier Level, the notes will pay (i) a Contingent Coupon on the corresponding Contingent Coupon Payment Date and (ii) and previously unpaid Contingent Coupons in respect of any prior Observation Dates pursuant to the Memory Coupon Feature. If the closing level of any Reference Asset is less than its Coupon Barrier Level on an Observation Date, the notes will not pay the Contingent Coupon on the corresponding Contingent Coupon Payment Date.
·Beginning on July 27, 2026, if on any Observation Date, the closing level of each Reference Asset is greater than its Call Level, the notes will be automatically redeemed. On the following Contingent Coupon Payment Date (the “Call Settlement Date”), investors will receive their principal amount plus the Contingent Coupon otherwise due. After the notes are redeemed, investors will not receive any additional payments in respect of the notes.
·The notes do not guarantee any return of principal at maturity. Instead, if the notes are not automatically redeemed, the payment at maturity will be based on the Final Level of each Reference Asset and whether the Final Level of any Reference Asset has declined from its Initial Level to below its Trigger Level on the Valuation Date (a “Trigger Event”), as described below.
·If the notes are not automatically redeemed and a Trigger Event has occurred, you will receive a delivery of shares of the Least Performing Reference Asset (the “Physical Delivery Amount”) or, at our election, the cash equivalent (calculated as described below, the “Cash Delivery Amount”), which will be worth less than the principal amount. Specifically, the value of any Physical Delivery Amount or Cash Delivery Amount that you receive will decrease 1% for each 1% decrease in the level of the Least Performing Reference Asset from its Initial Level to its Final Level. Any fractional shares included in the Physical Delivery Amount will be paid in cash.
·Investing in the notes is not equivalent to a direct investment in the Reference Assets.
·The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
·All payments on the notes are subject to the credit risk of Bank of Montreal.
·The notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.
·Our subsidiary, BMO Capital Markets Corp. (“BMOCM”), is the agent for this offering. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below.
·The notes will not be subject to conversion into our common shares or the common shares of any of our affiliates under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (the “CDIC Act”).

Terms of the Notes:

 

 Pricing Date:  January 27, 2026    Valuation Date:  January 27, 2028
 Settlement Date:  January 30, 2026    Maturity Date:  February 01, 2028

Specific Terms of the Notes:

 

Autocallable
Number
Reference
Assets
Ticker
Symbol
Initial
Level
Contingent
Interest Rate
Coupon
Barrier
Level*
Trigger
Level*
CUSIP Principal
Amount
Price to
Public
1
Agent’s
Commission
1
Proceeds to
Bank of
Montreal
1
940 The shares of the Global X Uranium ETF  URA  $57.85

3.0075% per quarter (approximately 12.03% per annum)

 

 $28.93, 50.00% of its Initial Level  $28.93, 50.00% of its Initial Level 06370EDC9 $1,467,000.00 100%

1.85%

$27,139.50

 

98.15%

$1,439,860.50

 

 The shares of the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF  IGV  $97.76  $48.88, 50.00% of its Initial Level  $48.88, 50.00% of its Initial Level
 The shares of the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF  XBI  $128.53  $64.27, 50.00% of its Initial Level  $64.27, 50.00% of its Initial Level

1 The total “Agent’s Commission” and “Proceeds to Bank of Montreal” specified above reflect the aggregate amounts at the time Bank of Montreal established its hedge positions on or prior to the Pricing Date, which may have been variable and fluctuated depending on market conditions at such times. Certain dealers who purchased the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may have foregone some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the notes in these accounts was between $981.50 and $1,000 per $1,000 in principal amount. In addition, the “Agent’s Commission” also includes a structuring fee of up to 0.10% and a selling commission of up to 1.75% of the principal amount per note.

* Rounded to two decimal places.

Investing in the notes involves risks, including those described in the “Selected Risk Considerations” section beginning on page P-5 hereof, the “Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes” section beginning on page PS-6 of the product supplement, and the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-1 of the prospectus supplement and on page 8 of the prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these notes or passed upon the accuracy of this document, the product supplement, the prospectus supplement or the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes will be our unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality or other entity.

On the date hereof, based on the terms set forth above, the estimated initial value of the notes is $944.76 per $1,000 in principal amount. However, as discussed in more detail below, the actual value of the notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.

 

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS

 

   
 

 

Key Terms of the Notes:

 

Reference Assets: The shares of the Global X Uranium ETF (ticker symbol "URA") and the shares of the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (ticker symbol "IGV") and the shares of the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF (ticker symbol "XBI"). See "The Reference Assets" below for additional information.
   
Underlying Index: With respect to the Global X Uranium ETF, the Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index, with respect to the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF, the S&P North American Expanded Technology Software IndexTM, and with respect to the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF, the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index.
   
Contingent Coupons: If the closing level of each Reference Asset on an Observation Date is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier Level, on the corresponding Contingent Coupon Payment Date you will receive (i) a Contingent Coupon (calculated at the Contingent Interest Rate) in respect of that Observation Date and (ii) any previously unpaid Contingent Coupons in respect of any prior Observation Dates pursuant to the Memory Coupon Feature.
   
Contingent Interest Rate: 3.0075% per quarter (approximately 12.03% per annum), if payable. Accordingly, each Contingent Coupon, if payable, will equal $30.075 for each $1,000 in principal amount.
   
Memory Coupon Feature:

If a Contingent Coupon is not paid on a Contingent Coupon Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date) because the closing level of a Reference Asset is less than its Coupon Barrier Level on the related Observation Date, such Contingent Coupon will be paid on a later Contingent Coupon Payment Date if the closing level of each Reference Asset is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier Level on the relevant Observation Date.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, once a previously unpaid Contingent Coupon has been paid on a later Contingent Coupon Payment Date, it will not be paid again on any subsequent Contingent Coupon Payment Date.

 

If the closing level of a Reference Asset is less than its Coupon Barrier Level on each of the Observation Dates, you will receive no Contingent Coupons during the term of the notes.

 

Contingent Coupon Payment Dates Observation Dates Contingent Coupon Payment Dates
and Observation Dates:1 April 27, 2026 April 30, 2026
  July 27, 2026 July 30, 2026
  October 27, 2026 October 30, 2026
  January 27, 2027 February 01, 2027
  April 27, 2027 April 30, 2027
  July 27, 2027 July 30, 2027
  October 27, 2027 November 01, 2027
  Valuation Date Maturity Date

 

Automatic Redemption: Beginning on July 27, 2026, if, on any Observation Date, the closing level of each Reference Asset is greater than its Call Level, the notes will be automatically redeemed. No further amounts will be owed to you under the Notes.
   
Payment upon Automatic
Redemption:
If the notes are automatically redeemed, then, on the Call Settlement Date, investors will receive their principal amount plus any Contingent Coupons (including any Contingent Coupons due pursuant to the Memory Coupon Feature) otherwise due.
   
Call Settlement Date:1 If the notes are automatically redeemed, the Contingent Coupon Payment Date immediately following the relevant Observation Date.
   
Payment at Maturity:

If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the payment at maturity for the notes is based on the performance of the Reference Assets.

 

You will receive $1,000 for each $1,000 in principal amount of the note, unless a Trigger Event has occurred.

 

If a Trigger Event has occurred, you will receive at maturity, for each $1,000 in principal amount of your notes, a number of shares equal to the Physical Delivery Amount (or, at our election the Cash Delivery Amount). Fractional shares will be paid in cash. The Physical Delivery Amount will be less than the principal amount of your notes, and may be zero.

 

You will also receive any Contingent Coupons (including any Contingent Coupons due pursuant to the Memory Coupon Feature) otherwise due.

   
Trigger Event:2 A Trigger Event will be deemed to occur if the Final Level of any Reference Asset is less than its Trigger Level on the Valuation Date.
   
Least Performing Reference Asset: The Reference Asset with the lowest Percentage Change.

 

Percentage Change:

With respect to each Reference Asset, the quotient, expressed as a percentage, of the following formula:

 

(Final Level - Initial Level)
Initial Level

 

 2 
 

 

Initial Level:2 As set forth on the cover hereof.
   
Coupon Barrier Level:2 $28.93 with respect to URA, $48.88 with respect to IGV and $64.27 with respect to XBI, each of which is 50.00% of the respective Initial Level (rounded to two decimal places).
   
Trigger Level:2 $28.93 with respect to URA, $48.88 with respect to IGV and $64.27 with respect to XBI, each of which is 50.00% of the respective Initial Level (rounded to two decimal places).
   
Call Level:2 With respect to each Reference Asset, 100.00% of its Initial Level.
   
Final Level: With respect to each Reference Asset, the closing level of that Reference Asset on the Valuation Date.
   
Pricing Date: January 27, 2026
   
Settlement Date: January 30, 2026
   
Valuation Date:1 January 27, 2028
   
Maturity Date:1 February 01, 2028
   
Physical Delivery Amount:2 The number of shares of the Least Performing Reference Asset equal to $1,000 divided by the Initial Level. Any fractional shares will be paid in cash.
   
Cash Delivery Amount:2 The amount in cash equal to the product of (1) the Physical Delivery Amount and (2) the Final Level of the Least Performing Reference Asset.
   
Calculation Agent: BMOCM
   
Selling Agent: BMOCM

 

1 Subject to the occurrence of a market disruption event, as described in the accompanying product supplement.

 

2 As determined by the calculation agent and subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. See "General Terms of the Notes — Anti-dilution Adjustments to a Reference Asset that Is an Equity Security (Including Any ETF)" and "— Adjustments to a Reference Asset that Is an ETF" in the product supplement for additional information.

 

 3 
 

 

Additional Terms of the Notes

 

You should read this document together with the product supplement dated March 25, 2025, the prospectus supplement dated March 25, 2025 and the prospectus dated March 25, 2025. This document, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the notes and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, fact sheets, brochures or other educational materials of ours or the agent. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes in the product supplement, as the notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the notes.

 

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

 

Product supplement dated March 25, 2025:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/927971/000121465925004743/b324250424b2.htm

 

Prospectus supplement dated March 25, 2025 and prospectus dated March 25, 2025:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/927971/000119312525062081/d840917d424b5.htm

 

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 927971. As used in this document, "we", "us" or "our" refers to Bank of Montreal.

 

 4 
 

 

Selected Risk Considerations

 

An investment in the notes involves significant risks. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Reference Assets. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Additional Risk Factors Relating to the Notes” section of the product supplement.

 

Risks Related to the Structure or Features of the Notes

 

·Your investment in the notes may result in a loss. — The notes do not guarantee any return of principal. If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the payment at maturity will be based on the Final Level of each Reference Asset and whether a Trigger Event has occurred. If the Final Level of any Reference Asset is less than its Trigger Level, a Trigger Event will occur, and you will lose 1% of the principal amount for each 1% that the Final Level of the Least Performing Reference Asset is less than its Initial Level. In such a case, you will receive at maturity a delivery of shares of the Reference Asset, or at our election the cash equivalent, which will be worth less than the principal amount of the notes and may be zero. Accordingly, you could lose your entire investment in the notes.
·You may not receive any Contingent Coupons with respect to your notes. — We will not necessarily make periodic interest payments on the notes. If the closing level of any Reference Asset on an Observation Date is less than its Coupon Barrier Level, we will not pay you the Contingent Coupon on the corresponding Contingent Coupon Payment Date. However, if a Contingent Coupon is not paid on a Contingent Coupon Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date) because the closing level of a Reference Asset is less than the Coupon Barrier Level on the related Observation Date, pursuant to the Memory Coupon Feature such Contingent Coupon will be paid on a later Contingent Coupon Payment Date if the closing level of each Reference Asset is greater than or equal to its Coupon Barrier Level on the related Observation Date. If the closing level of a Reference Asset is less than its Coupon Barrier Level on each of the Observation Dates, we will not pay you any Contingent Coupons during the term of the notes, and you will not receive a positive return on the notes. Generally, this non-payment of any Contingent Coupons will coincide with a greater risk of principal loss on your notes.
·Your notes are subject to automatic early redemption. — We will redeem the notes if the closing level of each Reference Asset on any Observation Date is greater than its Call Level. Following an automatic redemption, you will not receive any additional Contingent Coupons and may not be able to reinvest your proceeds in an investment with returns that are comparable to the notes. Furthermore, to the extent you are able to reinvest such proceeds in an investment with a comparable return for a similar level of risk, you may incur transaction costs such as dealer discounts and hedging costs built into the price of the new notes.
·Your return on the notes is limited to the Contingent Coupons, if any, regardless of any appreciation in the value of any Reference Asset. — You will not receive a payment at maturity with a value greater than your principal amount plus any Contingent Coupons otherwise due. In addition, if the notes are automatically redeemed, you will not receive a payment greater than the principal amount plus any applicable Contingent Coupons, even if the Final Level of one or more Reference Assets exceeds its Call Level by a substantial amount. Accordingly, your maximum return on the applicable notes is limited to the potential return represented by the Contingent Coupons.
·Whether you receive any Contingent Coupons and your payment at maturity may be determined solely by reference to the least performing Reference Asset, even if any other Reference Assets perform better. - We will only make a Contingent Coupon payment on the notes if the closing level of each Reference Asset on the applicable Observation Date exceeds the applicable Coupon Barrier, even if the values of any other Reference Assets have increased significantly. Similarly, if a Trigger Event occurs with respect to any Reference Asset and the Final Level of any Reference Asset is less than its Initial Level, your payment at maturity will be determined by reference to the performance of the Least Performing Reference Asset. Even if the levels of any other Reference Assets have appreciated in value over the term of the notes, or have experienced a decline that is less than that of the Least Performing Reference Asset, your return at maturity will only be determined by reference to the performance of the Least Performing Reference Asset if a Trigger Event occurs.
·The payments on the notes will be determined by reference to each Reference Asset individually, not to a basket, and the payments on the notes will be based on the performance of the least performing Reference Asset. - Whether each Contingent Coupon is payable, and the payment at maturity if a Trigger Event occurs, will be determined only by reference to the performance of the least performing Reference Asset as of the applicable Observation Date and/or Valuation Date, regardless of the performance of any other Reference Assets. The notes are not linked to a weighted basket, in which the risk may be mitigated and diversified among each of the basket components. For example, in the case of notes linked to a weighted basket, the return would depend on the weighted aggregate performance of the basket components reflected as the basket return. As a result, the depreciation of one basket component could be mitigated by the appreciation of the other basket components, as scaled by the weighting of that basket component. However, in the case of the notes, the individual performance of each Reference Asset will not be combined, and the depreciation of one Reference Asset will not be mitigated by any appreciation of any other Reference Assets. Instead, your receipt of Contingent Coupon payments on the notes will depend on the value of each Reference Asset on each Observation Date, and your return at maturity will depend solely on the Final Level of the Least Performing Reference Asset if a Trigger Event occurs.
·Any decline in the closing level of the Reference Asset from the Valuation Date to the Maturity Date will reduce the value of the Physical Delivery Amount. — If we deliver the Physical Delivery Amount on the Maturity Date instead of paying the Cash Delivery Amount, the number of shares deliverable will be determined on the Valuation Date. The market value of the Physical Delivery Amount on the Maturity Date may be less than the cash equivalent of such shares determined on the Valuation Date due to any decline in the closing level of the Reference Asset during the period between the Valuation Date and the Maturity Date. Conversely, if we pay the Cash Delivery Amount instead of delivering the Physical Delivery Amount on the Maturity Date, the Cash Delivery Amount will be determined on the Valuation Date and the payment that you receive on the Maturity Date may be less than the market value of such shares that you would have received had we instead delivered such shares due to fluctuations in their market value during the period between the Valuation Date and the Maturity Date.
·Your return on the notes may be lower than the return on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. — The return that you will receive on your notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. The notes do not provide for fixed interest payments and you may not receive any Contingent Coupons over the term of the notes. Even if you do receive one or more Contingent Coupons and your return on the notes is positive, your return may be less than the return you would earn if you bought a conventional senior interest bearing debt security of ours with the same maturity or if you invested directly in the Reference Assets. Your investment may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you take into account factors that affect the time value of money.

 

 5 
 

 

·A higher Contingent Interest Rate or lower Trigger Levels or Coupon Barrier Levels may reflect greater expected volatility of the Reference Assets, and greater expected volatility generally indicates an increased risk of loss at maturity. — The economic terms for the notes, including the Contingent Interest Rate, Coupon Barrier Levels and Trigger Levels, are based, in part, on the expected volatility of the Reference Assets at the time the terms of the notes are set. “Volatility” refers to the frequency and magnitude of changes in the level of a Reference Asset. The greater the expected volatility of the Reference Assets as of the Pricing Date, the greater the expectation is as of that date that the closing level of a Reference Asset could be less than its Coupon Barrier Level on any Observation Date and that a Trigger Event could occur and, as a consequence, indicates an increased risk of not receiving a Contingent Coupon and an increased risk of loss, respectively. All things being equal, this greater expected volatility will generally be reflected in a higher Contingent Interest Rate than the yield payable on our conventional debt securities with a similar maturity or on otherwise comparable securities, and/or a lower Trigger Levels and/or Coupon Barrier Levels than those terms on otherwise comparable securities. Therefore, a relatively higher Contingent Interest Rate may indicate an increased risk of loss. Further, relatively lower Trigger Levels and/or Coupon Barriers may not necessarily indicate that the notes have a greater likelihood of a return of principal at maturity and/or paying Contingent Coupons. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of the Reference Assets and the potential to lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment.

 

Risks Related to the Reference Assets

 

·Owning the notes is not the same as owning shares of the Reference Assets or a security directly linked to the Reference Assets. — The return on your notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned shares of the Reference Assets or a security directly linked to the performance of the Reference Assets and held that investment for a similar period. Your notes may trade quite differently from the Reference Assets. Changes in the level of a Reference Asset may not result in comparable changes in the market value of your notes. Even if the levels of the Reference Assets increase during the term of the notes, the market value of the notes prior to maturity may not increase to the same extent. It is also possible for the market value of the notes to decrease while the levels of the Reference Assets increase. In addition, any dividends or other distributions paid on a Reference Asset will not be reflected in the amount payable on the notes.
·You will not have any shareholder rights and will have no right to receive any shares of the Reference Assets — Unless and until we choose to deliver shares of a Reference Assets at maturity, neither you nor any other holder or owner of the notes will have any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, or any other rights with respect to the Reference Assets. You will have no rights with respect to any underlying securities.
·No delivery of shares of the Reference Assets at your option. — We may choose, in our sole discretion, whether to deliver the Physical Delivery Amount or pay the Cash Delivery Amount at maturity. You should not invest in the notes if you wish to elect whether to receive cash or shares at maturity.
·Changes that affect an Underlying Index will affect the market value of the notes, whether the notes will be automatically redeemed, and the amount you will receive at maturity. — With respect to each Reference Asset, the policies of the applicable index sponsor concerning the calculation of the applicable Underlying Index, additions, deletions or substitutions of the components of the applicable Underlying Index and the manner in which changes affecting those components, such as stock dividends, reorganizations or mergers, may be reflected in the applicable Reference Asset and, therefore, could affect the share price of the Reference Asset, the amounts payable on the notes, whether the notes are automatically redeemed, and the market value of the notes prior to maturity. The amount payable on the notes and their market value could also be affected if the applicable index sponsor changes these policies, for example, by changing the manner in which it calculates the applicable Underlying Index, or if the applicable index sponsor discontinues or suspends the calculation or publication of the applicable Underlying Index.
·We have no affiliation with any index sponsor of any Underlying Index and will not be responsible for any index sponsor's actions. — The sponsors of the Underlying Indices are not our affiliates and will not be involved in the offering of the notes in any way. Consequently, we have no control over the actions of any index sponsor, including any actions of the type that would require the calculation agent to adjust the payment to you at maturity. The index sponsors have no obligation of any sort with respect to the notes. Thus, the index sponsors have no obligation to take your interests into consideration for any reason, including in taking any actions that might affect the value of the notes. None of our proceeds from the issuance of the notes will be delivered to any index sponsor of any Underlying Index.
·Adjustments to a Reference Asset could adversely affect the notes. — The sponsor and advisor of each Reference Asset is responsible for calculating and maintaining that Reference Asset. The sponsor and advisor of each Reference Asset can add, delete or substitute the stocks comprising that Reference Asset or make other methodological changes that could change the share price of the applicable Reference Asset at any time. If one or more of these events occurs, the calculation of the amount payable at maturity may be adjusted to reflect such event or events. Consequently, any of these actions could adversely affect the amount payable at maturity and/or the market value of the notes.
·We and our affiliates do not have any affiliation with any applicable investment advisor or any Reference Asset Issuer and are not responsible for their public disclosure of information. — The investment advisor of each Reference Asset advises the issuer of the applicable Reference Asset (each, a “Reference Asset Issuer” and, collectively, the “Reference Asset Issuers”) on various matters, including matters relating to the policies, maintenance and calculation of the applicable Reference Asset. We and our affiliates are not affiliated with the investment advisor of any Reference Asset or any Reference Asset Issuer in any way and have no ability to control or predict their actions, including any errors in or discontinuance of disclosure regarding the methods or policies relating to a Reference Asset. No investment advisor of a Reference Asset nor any Reference Asset Issuer is involved in the offerings of the notes in any way and has no obligation to consider your interests as an owner of the notes in taking any actions relating to a Reference Asset that might affect the value of the notes. Neither we nor any of our affiliates has independently verified the adequacy or accuracy of the information about any investment advisor or any Reference Asset Issuer contained in any public disclosure of information. You, as an investor in the notes, should make your own investigation into the Reference Asset Issuers.
·The correlation between the performance of a Reference Asset and the performance of the applicable Underlying Index may be imperfect. — The performance of each Reference Asset is linked principally to the performance of the applicable Underlying Index. However, because of the potential discrepancies identified in more detail in the product supplement, the return on a Reference Asset may correlate imperfectly with the return on the applicable Underlying Index.
·The Reference Assets are subject to management risks. — The Reference Assets are subject to management risk, which is the risk that the applicable investment advisor’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. For example, the applicable investment advisor may invest a portion of a Reference Asset Issuer’s assets in securities not included in the relevant industry or sector but which the applicable investment advisor believes will help applicable the Reference Asset track the relevant industry or sector.
·You must rely on your own evaluation of the merits of an investment linked to the Reference Assets. —In the ordinary course of their businesses, our affiliates from time to time may express views on expected movements in the prices of the Reference Assets or the prices of the securities held by the Reference Assets. One or more of our affiliates have published, and in the future may publish, research reports that express views on the Reference Assets or these securities. However, these views are subject to change from time to time. Moreover, other professionals who deal in the markets relating to the Reference Assets at any time may have significantly different views from those of our affiliates. You are encouraged to derive information concerning the Reference Assets from multiple sources, and you should not rely on the views expressed by our affiliates.
Neither the offering of the notes nor any views which our affiliates from time to time may express in the ordinary course of their businesses constitutes a recommendation as to the merits of an investment in the notes.

 

 6 
 

 

Risks Relating to the Global X Uranium ETF

 

·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with currency exchange rates. — The share price of the Global X Uranium ETF will fluctuate based upon its net asset value, which will in turn depend in part upon changes in the value of the currencies in which the stocks held by the Global X Uranium ETF are traded. Accordingly, investors in the notes will be exposed to currency exchange rate risk with respect to each of these currencies. An investor’s net exposure will depend on the extent to which these currencies strengthen or weaken against the U.S. dollar. If the dollar strengthens against these currencies, the net asset value of the Global X Uranium ETF will be adversely affected and the price of its shares may decrease.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with foreign securities markets. - The Global X Uranium ETF tracks the value of certain foreign equity securities. You should be aware that investments in securities linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. The foreign securities markets on which the foreign securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF trade 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.
Prices of securities 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 developments 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.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with emerging markets. — The Global X Uranium ETF holds stocks issued by companies in countries with emerging markets. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions (due to economic dependence upon commodity prices and international trade), and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens, currency devaluations or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times.
The shares held by the Global X Uranium ETF may be listed on a foreign stock exchange. A foreign stock exchange may impose trading limitations intended to prevent extreme fluctuations in individual security prices and may suspend trading in certain circumstances. These actions could limit variations in the level of the Global X Uranium ETF, which could, in turn, adversely affect the value of, and amount payable on, the notes.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with the uranium sector. — All of the equity securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF are issued by companies with business operations in uranium mining, exploration, oil, gas and consumable fuels or a closely related activity. As a result, the value of the securities may be subject to greater volatility and be more adversely affected by a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting this sector than a different investment linked to securities of a more broadly diversified group of issuers. The uranium sector is exposed to risks related to the uranium mining industry, the exploration industry, the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry and the energy sector. The uranium mining industry can be significantly subject to the effects of competitive pressures in the uranium mining industry and the price of uranium. The price of uranium may be affected by changes in inflation rates, interest rates, monetary policy, economic conditions, other financial events, regulatory events, geopolitical conditions and political stability. The exploration and development of mineral deposits involve significant financial risks over a significant period of time. Few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Major expenditures may be required to establish reserves by drilling and to construct mining and processing facilities at a site. In addition, mineral exploration companies typically operate at a loss and are dependent on securing equity and/or debt financing, which might be more difficult to secure for an exploration company than for a more established counterpart. The uranium sector is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the uranium sector is strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, mining policies and production costs in the most important uranium-producing countries, the size and availability of uranium stockpiles, supply and demand, the level of economic activity of the main consuming countries, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances, including developments in mining and production technology. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. Companies in the energy sector are affected by changes in energy prices, international and domestic politics, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, natural disasters or other catastrophes, changes in exchange rates, interest rates, or economic conditions, changes in demand for energy products and services and tax and other government regulatory policies. In the event of sudden disruptions in the supply of uranium, such as those caused by war, natural events or accidents, the price of uranium could become extremely volatile and unpredictable. These factors could affect the uranium sector and could affect the value of the equity securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF and the value of the Global X Uranium ETF during the term of the notes, which may adversely affect the value of your notes.
·A limited number of securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF may affect its price, and the securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF are not necessarily representative of the entire uranium industry. — While the securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF are common stocks of companies generally considered to be involved in various segments of the uranium industry, the securities held by the Global X Uranium ETF may not follow the price movements of the entire uranium industry generally. As of the date hereof, a small number of securities make up a significant portion of the total weight of the Global X Uranium ETF’s holdings. If these securities decline in value, the Global X Uranium ETF will likely decline in value even if security prices in the uranium industry generally increase in value.

 

 7 
 

 

Risks Relating to the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF

 

·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with the software sector. — All or substantially all of the equity securities held by the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF are issued by companies whose primary line of business is directly associated with the design, distribution, manufacture and sale of software. As a result, the value of the Securities may be subject to greater volatility and be more adversely affected by a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting this sector than a different investment linked to securities of a more broadly diversified group of issuers. The values of companies that are involved in the software industry, such as application software, systems software and home entertainment software sub-industries, are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation, changes in the prices and availability of raw materials and competition in the software industry, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with potentially lower productions costs. Such companies may also be heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. Additionally, such companies may face competition for the services of, and difficulties in employing and retaining, qualified personnel.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with mid-size capitalization and small capitalization stocks. — The iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF may invest in companies that may be considered small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies. These companies often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies and therefore the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF’s share price may be more volatile than an investment in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments, and the stocks of small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies may be thinly traded, making it difficult for the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF to buy and sell them. In addition, small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are typically less stable financially than large-capitalization companies and may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early, and less predictable, periods of their corporate existences. Such companies tend to have smaller revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with foreign securities markets. - The iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF tracks the value of certain foreign equity securities. You should be aware that investments in securities linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. The foreign securities markets on which the foreign securities held by the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF trade 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.
Prices of securities 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 developments 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.

 

Risks Relating to the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF

 

·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with concentration in the biotechnology sector. — The stocks held by the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF are generally concentrated in the biotechnology industry. Companies within the biotech industry invest heavily in research and development which may not necessarily lead to commercially successful products. This industry is also subject to increased governmental regulation which may delay or inhibit the release of new products. Many biotech companies are dependent upon their ability to use and enforce intellectual property rights and patents. Any impairment of such rights may have adverse financial consequences. Biotech stocks, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Biotech companies can be significantly affected by technological change and obsolescence, product liability lawsuits and consequential high insurance costs.
·An investment in the notes is subject to risks associated with mid-size capitalization and small capitalization stocks. — The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF may invest in companies that may be considered small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies. These companies often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies and therefore the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF’s share price may be more volatile than an investment in stocks issued by large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments, and the stocks of small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies may be thinly traded, making it difficult for the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF to buy and sell them. In addition, small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are typically less stable financially than large-capitalization companies and may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Small-capitalization or mid-capitalization companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early, and less predictable, periods of their corporate existences. Such companies tend to have smaller revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products.

 

General Risk Factors

 

·Your investment is subject to the credit risk of Bank of Montreal. — Our credit ratings and credit spreads may adversely affect the market value of the notes. Investors are dependent on our ability to pay any 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. Any decline in our credit ratings or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking our credit risk is likely to adversely affect the value of the notes.
·Potential conflicts. — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the notes, including acting as calculation agent. In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of ours are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the notes. We or one or more of our affiliates may also engage in trading of shares of the Reference Assets or the securities held by a Reference Asset on a regular basis as part of our general broker-dealer and other businesses, for proprietary accounts, for other accounts under management or to facilitate transactions for our customers. Any of these activities could adversely affect the level of the Reference Assets and, therefore, the market value of, and the payments on, the notes. We or one or more of our affiliates may also issue or underwrite other securities or financial or derivative instruments with returns linked or related to changes in the performance of the Reference Assets. By introducing competing products into the marketplace in this manner, we or one or more of our affiliates could adversely affect the market value of the notes.

 

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·Our initial estimated value of the notes is lower than the price to public. — Our initial estimated value of the notes is only an estimate, and is based on a number of factors. The price to public of the notes exceeds our initial estimated value, because costs associated with offering, structuring and hedging the notes are included in the price to public, but are not included in the estimated value. These costs include any underwriting discount and selling concessions, the profits that we and our affiliates expect to realize for assuming the risks in hedging our obligations under the notes and the estimated cost of hedging these obligations.
·Our initial estimated value does not represent any future value of the notes, and may also differ from the estimated value of any other party. — Our initial estimated value of the notes as of the date hereof is derived using our internal pricing models. This value is based on market conditions and other relevant factors, which include volatility of the Reference Assets, dividend rates and interest rates. Different pricing models and assumptions could provide values for the notes that are greater than or less than our initial estimated value. In addition, market conditions and other relevant factors after the Pricing Date are expected to change, possibly rapidly, and our assumptions may prove to be incorrect. After the Pricing Date, the value of the notes could change dramatically due to changes in market conditions, our creditworthiness, and the other factors set forth herein and in the product supplement. These changes are likely to impact the price, if any, at which we or BMOCM would be willing to purchase the notes from you in any secondary market transactions. Our initial estimated value does not represent a minimum price at which we or our affiliates would be willing to buy your notes in any secondary market at any time.
·The terms of the notes were not determined by reference to the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. — To determine the terms of the notes, we used an internal funding rate that represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. As a result, the terms of the notes are less favorable to you than if we had used a higher funding rate.
·Certain costs are likely to adversely affect the value of the notes. — Absent any changes in market conditions, any secondary market prices of the notes will likely be lower than the price to public. This is because any secondary market prices will likely take into account our then-current market credit spreads, and because any secondary market prices are likely to exclude all or a portion of any underwriting discount and selling concessions, and the hedging profits and estimated hedging costs that are included in the price to public of the notes and that may be reflected on your account statements. In addition, any such price is also likely to reflect a discount to account for costs associated with establishing or unwinding any related hedge transaction, such as dealer discounts, mark-ups and other transaction costs. As a result, the price, if any, at which BMOCM or any other party may be willing to purchase the notes from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, will likely be lower than the price to public. Any sale that you make prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you.
·Lack of liquidity. — The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. BMOCM may offer to purchase the notes in the secondary market, but is not required to do so. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to trade or sell the notes easily. Because other dealers are not likely to make a secondary market for the notes, the price at which you may be able to trade the notes is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which BMOCM is willing to buy the notes.
·Hedging and trading activities. — We or any of our affiliates have carried out or may carry out hedging activities related to the notes, including purchasing or selling shares of the Reference Assets or securities held by the Reference Assets, futures or options relating to the Reference Assets or securities held by the Reference Assets or other derivative instruments with returns linked or related to changes in the performance on the Reference Assets or securities held by the Reference Assets. We or our affiliates may also trade in the Reference Assets, such securities, or instruments related to the Reference Assets or such securities from time to time. Any of these hedging or trading activities on or prior to the Pricing Date and during the term of the notes could adversely affect the payments on the notes.
·Many economic and market factors will influence the value of the notes. — In addition to the levels of the Reference Assets and interest rates on any trading day, the value of the notes will be affected by a number of economic and market factors that may either offset or magnify each other, and which are described in more detail in the product supplement.
·Significant aspects of the tax treatment of the notes are uncertain. — The tax treatment of the notes is uncertain. We do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or from any Canadian authorities regarding the tax treatment of the notes, and the Internal Revenue Service or a court may not agree with the tax treatment described herein.
The Internal Revenue Service has released a notice that may affect the taxation of holders of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. According to the notice, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury are actively considering whether the holder of such instruments should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis. While it is not clear whether the notes would be viewed as similar to such instruments, it is possible that any future guidance could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect.
Please read carefully the section entitled "U.S. Federal Tax Information" herein, the section entitled "Supplemental Tax Considerations–Supplemental U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" in the accompanying product supplement, the section entitled "United States Federal Income Taxation" in the accompanying prospectus and the section entitled "Certain Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus supplement. You should consult your tax advisor about your own tax situation.

 

 9 
 

 

Examples of the Hypothetical Payment at Maturity for a $1,000 Investment in the Notes

 

The following table illustrates the hypothetical payments on a note at maturity, assuming that the notes are not automatically redeemed. The hypothetical payments are based on a $1,000 investment in the note, a hypothetical Initial Level of $100.00, a hypothetical Trigger Level of $50.00 for each Reference Asset (50.00% of the hypothetical Initial Level), a hypothetical Call Level of $100.00 (100.00% of the hypothetical Initial Level), a range of hypothetical Final Levels and the effect on the payment at maturity.

 

The hypothetical examples shown below are intended to help you understand the terms of the notes. If the notes are not automatically redeemed, the actual amount of cash or shares that you will receive at maturity will depend upon the Final Level of the Least Performing Reference Asset. If the notes are automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the hypothetical examples below will not be relevant, and you will receive on the applicable Call Settlement Date, for each $1,000 principal amount, the principal amount plus any Contingent Coupons otherwise due.

 

As discussed in more detail above, your total return on the notes will also depend on the number of Contingent Coupon Dates on which the Contingent Coupon is payable. It is possible that the only payments on your notes will be the payment, if any, due at maturity. The payment at maturity will not exceed the principal amount, and may be significantly less.

 

Hypothetical Final Level of the
Least Performing Reference Asset
Hypothetical Final Level of the
Least Performing Reference Asset
Expressed as a Percentage of its
Initial Level
Payment at Maturity (Excluding
Coupons)*
$200.00 200.00% $1,000.00
$180.00 180.00% $1,000.00
$160.00 160.00% $1,000.00
$140.00 140.00% $1,000.00
$120.00 120.00% $1,000.00
$100.00 100.00% $1,000.00
$90.00 90.00% $1,000.00
$80.00 80.00% $1,000.00
$70.00 70.00% $1,000.00
$60.00 60.00% $1,000.00
$50.00 50.00% $1,000.00
$49.99 49.99% $499.90
$40.00 40.00% $400.00
$20.00 20.00% $200.00
$0.00 0.00% $0.00

* Represents the cash value of the Physical Delivery Amount on the Valuation Date. We may elect to deliver either the Physical Delivery Amount or the Cash Delivery Amount. If we elect to deliver the Physical Delivery Amount, the actual value received and your total return on the notes on the Maturity Date will depend on the value of the Reference Asset on the Maturity Date.

 

 10 
 

 

U.S. Federal Tax Information

 

By purchasing the notes, each holder agrees (in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary) to treat each note as a pre-paid contingent income-bearing derivative contract for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the opinion of our counsel, Mayer Brown LLP, it would generally be reasonable to treat the notes as pre-paid contingent income-bearing derivative contracts in respect of the Reference Assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and the Internal Revenue Service could assert that the notes should be taxed in a manner that is different from that described in the preceding sentence. Please see the discussion in the accompanying product supplement under "Supplemental Tax Considerations—Supplemental U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Notes Treated as Investment Units Consisting of a Debt Portion and a Put Option, as Pre-Paid Contingent Income-Bearing Derivative Contracts, or as Pre-Paid Derivative Contracts—Notes Treated as Pre-Paid Contingent Income-Bearing Derivative Contracts," which applies to the notes.

 

 11 
 

 

Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)

 

BMOCM will purchase the notes from us at a purchase price reflecting the commission set forth on the cover hereof. BMOCM has informed us that, as part of its distribution of the notes, it will reoffer the notes to other dealers who will sell them. Each such dealer, or each additional dealer engaged by a dealer to whom BMOCM reoffers the notes, will receive a commission from BMOCM, which will not exceed the commission set forth on the cover page. The commission set forth on the cover page also includes a structuring fee and selling commission in the amount set forth on the cover hereof. 

 

Certain dealers who purchase the notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forego some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the notes in these accounts may be less than 100% of the principal amount, as set forth on the cover page of this document. Investors that hold their notes in these accounts may be charged fees by the investment advisor or manager of that account based on the amount of assets held in those accounts, including the notes. 

 

We will deliver the notes on a date that is greater than one business day following the pricing date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes more than one business day prior to the issue date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement. 

 

We own, directly or indirectly, all of the outstanding equity securities of BMOCM, the agent for this offering. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5121, BMOCM may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the customer. 

 

You should not construe the offering of the notes as a recommendation of the merits of acquiring an investment linked to the Reference Assets or as to the suitability of an investment in the notes. 

 

BMOCM may, but is not obligated to, make a market in the notes. BMOCM will determine any secondary market prices that it is prepared to offer in its sole discretion. 

 

We may use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, BMOCM or another of our affiliates may use this pricing supplement in market-making transactions in any notes after their initial sale. Unless BMOCM or we inform you otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used by BMOCM in a market-making transaction.

 

For a period of approximately three months following issuance of the notes, the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates would be willing to buy the notes from investors, and the value that BMOCM may also publish for the notes through one or more financial information vendors and which could be indicated for the notes on any brokerage account statements, will reflect a temporary upward adjustment from our estimated value of the notes that would otherwise be determined and applicable at that time. This temporary upward adjustment represents a portion of (a) the hedging profit that we or our affiliates expect to realize over the term of the notes and (b) any underwriting discount and the selling concessions paid in connection with this offering. The amount of this temporary upward adjustment will decline to zero on a straight-line basis over the three-month period. 

 

The notes and the related offer to purchase notes and sale of notes under the terms and conditions provided herein do not constitute a public offering in any non-U.S. jurisdiction, and are being made available only to individually identified investors pursuant to a private offering as permitted in the relevant jurisdiction. The notes are not, and will not be, registered with any securities exchange or registry located outside of the United States and have not been registered with any non-U.S. securities or banking regulatory authority. The contents of this document have not been reviewed or approved by any non-U.S. securities or banking regulatory authority. Any person who wishes to acquire the notes from outside the United States should seek the advice or legal counsel as to the relevant requirements to acquire these notes.

 

Argentina. The notes are not and will not be marketed in Argentina by means of a public offering, as such term is defined under Section 2 of Law Number 26,831, as amended. No application has been or will be made with the Argentine Comisión Nacional de Valores, the Argentine securities governmental authority, to offer the securities in Argentina. The contents of this pricing supplement and the related prospectus supplement and prospectus have not been reviewed by the Argentine Comisión Nacional de Valores.

 

Brazil. The notes have not been, and will not be issued nor publicly placed, distributed, offered or negotiated in the Brazilian capital markets and, as a result, have not been and will not be registered with the Comissão de Valores Mobiliáros (“CVM”). Any public offering or distribution, as defined under Brazilian laws and regulations, of the notes in Brazil is not legal without prior registration under Law 6,385/76, and CVM applicable regulation. Documents relating to the offering of the notes, as well as information contained therein, may not be supplied to the public in Brazil (as the offering of the notes is not a public offering of securities in Brazil), nor be used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the notes to the public in Brazil. Persons wishing to offer or acquire the notes within Brazil should consult with their own counsel as to the applicability of registration requirements or any exemption therefrom.

 

British Virgin Islands. The notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the laws and regulations of the British Virgin Islands, nor has any regulatory authority in the British Virgin Islands passed comment upon or approved the accuracy or adequacy of this document. This pricing supplement and the related documents shall not constitute an offer, invitation or solicitation to any member of the public in the British Virgin Islands for the purposes of the Securities and Investment Business Act, 2010, of the British Virgin Islands.

 

Cayman Islands. Pursuant to the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands, no invitation may be made to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for the notes by or on behalf of the issuer unless at the time of such invitation the issuer is listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. The issuer is not presently listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and, accordingly, no invitation to the public in the Cayman Islands is to be made by the issuer (or by any dealer on its behalf). No such invitation is made to the public in the Cayman Islands hereby.

 

Chile. Neither the issuer nor the notes have been registered with the Comisión Para el Mercado Financiero pursuant to Law No. 18.045, the Ley de Mercado de Valores and regulations thereunder, so they cannot be publicly offered in Chile. This pricing supplement (and the related prospectus supplement and prospectus) do not constitute an offer of, or an invitation to subscribe for or purchase, the notes in the republic of Chile, other than to individually identified buyers pursuant to a private offering within the meaning of Article 4 of the Ley de Mercado de Valores (an offer that is not addressed to the public at large or to a certain sector or specific group of the public).

 

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Dominican Republic. Nothing in this pricing supplement constitutes an offer of securities for sale in the Dominican Republic. The notes have not been, and will not be, registered with the Superintendence of Securities Market of the Dominican Republic (Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores), under Dominican Securities Market Law No. 249-17 (“Securities Law 249-17”), and the notes may not be offered or sold within the Dominican Republic or to, or for the account or benefit of, Dominican persons (as defined under Securities Law 249-17 and its regulations). Failure to comply with these directives may result in a violation of Securities Law 249-17 and its regulations.

 

Hong Kong. WARNING: The contents of this document have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this document, you should obtain independent professional advice.

 

Please note that (1) the notes may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of this document or any other document other than: (i) to “professional investors” within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap. 571) (SFO) and any rules made thereunder; or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap. 32) (CWUMPO) or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public for the purposes of the CWUMPO or the SFO, and (2) no person shall issue, or possess for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be assessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to such “professional investors” (as set out above).

 

Israel. This pricing supplement is intended solely for investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended. A prospectus has not been prepared or filed, and will not be prepared or filed, in Israel relating to the notes offered hereunder. The notes cannot be resold in Israel other than to investors listed in the First Supplement of the Israeli Securities Law of 1968, as amended.

 

No action will be taken in Israel that would permit an offering of the notes or the distribution of any offering document or any other material to the public in Israel. In particular, no offering document or other material has been reviewed or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. Any material provided to an offeree in Israel may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose, nor be furnished to any other person other than those to whom copies have been provided directly by us or the selling agents.

 

Nothing in this pricing supplement or any other offering material relating to the notes, should be considered as the rendering of a recommendation or advice, including investment advice or investment marketing under the Law For Regulation of Investment Advice, Investment Marketing and Investment Portfolio Management, 1995, to purchase any note. The purchase of any note will be based on an investor’s own understanding, for the investor’s own benefit and for the investor’s own account and not with the aim or intention of distributing or offering to other parties. In purchasing the notes, each investor declares that it has the knowledge, expertise and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the risks and merits of an investment in the notes, without relying on any of the materials provided.

 

Mexico. The notes have not been registered with the National Registry of Securities maintained by the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission and may not be offered or sold publicly in Mexico. This pricing supplement and the related documents may not be publicly distributed in Mexico. The notes may only be offered in a private offering pursuant to Article 8 of the Securities Market Law.

 

Panama. The notes have not been and will not be registered with the Superintendency of Securities Market of the Republic of Panama under Decree Law N°1 of July 8, 1999 (the “Panamanian Securities Act”) and may not be publicly offered or sold within Panama, except in certain limited transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Panamanian Securities Act, including the private placement rule based on number 2 of Article 83 of Law Decree 1 of July 8, 1999 (or number 2 of Article 129 of the Unified Text of Law Decree 1 of July 8, 1999). The notes do not benefit from the tax incentives provided by the Panamanian Securities Act and are not subject to regulation or supervision by the Superintendency of Securities Market of the Republic of Panama.

 

Paraguay. The sale of the notes qualifies as a private placement pursuant to Law No. 5810/17 “Stock Market”. The notes must not be offered or sold to the public in Paraguay, except under circumstances which do not constitute a public offering in accordance with Paraguayan regulations. The notes are not and will not be registered before the Paraguayan securities supervisory body Comisión Nacional de Valores (“CNV”) the Paraguayan private stock exchange Bolsa de Valores y Productos de Asunción (“BVPASA”). The issuer is also not registered before the CNV or the BVPASA. In no case may notes not registered before the CNV be offered to the general public via mass media such as press, radio, television, or internet when such media are publicly accessible in the Republic of Paraguay, regardless of the location from where they are issued.

 

The privately placed notes are not registered with the National Securities Commission, and therefore do not have tax benefits and are not negotiable through the BVPASA. Privately placed securities may have less liquidity, making it difficult to sell such securities in the secondary market, which could also affect the sale price. Private securities of issuers not registered before the CNV may not have periodic financial information or audited financial statements, which could generate greater risk to the investor due to the asymmetry of information. It is the responsibility of the investor to ascertain and assess the risk assumed in the acquisition of the security.

 

Peru. The notes have not been and will not be registered with the Capital Markets Public Registry of the Capital Markets Superintendence (“SMV”) nor the Lima Stock Exchange Registry (“RBVL”) for their public offering in Peru under the Peruvian Capital Markets Law (Law No. 861/ Supreme Decree No. 093-2002) and the decrees and regulations thereunder. Consequently, the notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this pricing supplement or the related prospectus supplement, the prospectus or any other material relating to the notes be distributed or caused to be distributed in Peru to the general public. The notes may only be offered in a private offering under Peruvian regulation and without using mass marketing, which is defined as a marketing strategy utilizing mass distribution and mass media to offer, negotiate or distribute notes to the whole market. Mass media includes newspapers, magazines, radio, television, mail, meetings, social networks, Internet servers located in Peru, and other media or technology platforms.

 

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Switzerland. This pricing supplement is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in any notes. Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes constitutes a prospectus compliant with the requirements of articles 35 et seq. of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("FinSA") for a public offering of the notes in Switzerland and no such prospectus has been or will be prepared for or in connection with the offering of the notes in Switzerland.

 

Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes has been or will be filed with or approved by a Swiss review body (Prüfstelle). No application has been or is intended to be made to admit the notes to trading on any trading venue (SIX Swiss Exchange or on any other exchange or any multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

 

The notes may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of FinSA except (i) in any circumstances falling within the exemptions to prepare a prospectus listed in article 36 para. 1 FinSA or (ii) where such offer does not qualify as a public offer in Switzerland, provided always that no offer of notes shall require the Issuer or any offeror to publish a prospectus pursuant to article 35 FinSA in respect to such offer and that such offer shall comply with the additional restrictions set out below (if applicable). The Issuer has not authorised and does not authorise any offer of notes which would require the Issuer or any offeror to publish a prospectus pursuant to article 35 FinSA in respect of such offer. For purposes of this provision "public offer" shall have the meaning as such term is understood pursuant to article 3 lit. g and h FinSA and the Swiss Financial Services Ordinance ("FinSO").

 

The notes do not constitute participations in a collective investment scheme within the meaning of the Swiss Collective Investment Schemes Act. They are not subject to the approval of, or supervision by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority ("FINMA"), and investors in the notes will not benefit from protection under CISA or supervision by FINMA.

 

Prohibition of Offer to Private Clients in Switzerland - No Key Information Document pursuant to article 58 FinSA (Basisinformationsblatt für Finanzinstrumente) or equivalent document under foreign law pursuant to article 59 para. 2 FinSA has been or will be prepared in relation to the notes. Therefore, the following additional restriction applies: Notes qualifying as "debt securities with a derivative character" pursuant to article 86 para. 2 FinSO may not be offered within the meaning of article 58 para. 1 FinSA, and neither this pricing supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to such notes may be made available, to any retail client (Privatkunde) within the meaning of FinSA in Switzerland.

 

Uruguay. The sale of the notes qualifies as a private placement pursuant to section 2 of Uruguayan law 18,627. The notes must not be offered or sold to the public in Uruguay, except in circumstances which do not constitute a public S-31 offering or distribution under Uruguayan laws and regulations. The notes are not and will not be registered with the Financial Services Superintendency of the Central Bank of Uruguay.

 

Venezuela. The notes have not been registered with the Superintendencia Nacional de Valores de Venezuela and are not being publicly offered in Venezuela. No document related to the offering of the notes, including this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, shall be interpreted to constitute an offer of securities or an offer or the rendering of any investment advice, securities brokerage, and/or banking services in Venezuela. Investors wishing to acquire the notes may use only funds located outside of Venezuela.

 

The notes may also be sold in the following jurisdictions, provided, in each case, any sales are made in accordance with all applicable laws in such jurisdiction:

 

·Barbados
·Belize
·Bermuda
·Bolivia
·Colombia
·Costa Rica
·Ecuador
·Guatemala
·Honduras

 

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Additional Information Relating to the Estimated Initial Value of the Notes

 

Our estimated initial value of the notes on the date hereof that is set forth on the cover hereof, equals the sum of the values of the following hypothetical components:

 

·a fixed-income debt component with the same tenor as the notes, valued using our internal funding rate for structured notes; and 
·one or more derivative transactions relating to the economic terms of the notes. 

 

The internal funding rate used in the determination of the initial estimated value generally represents a discount from the credit spreads for our conventional fixed-rate debt. The value of these derivative transactions is derived from our internal pricing models. These models are based on factors such as the traded market prices of comparable derivative instruments and on other inputs, which include volatility, dividend rates, interest rates and other factors. As a result, the estimated initial value of the notes on the Pricing Date was determined based on the market conditions on the Pricing Date. 

 

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The Reference Assets

 

We have derived the following information from publicly available documents. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the following information. We are not affiliated with any Reference Asset Issuer and the Reference Asset Issuers will have no obligations with respect to the notes. This document relates only to the notes and does not relate to the shares of the Reference Assets or any securities included in any Underlying Index. Neither we nor any of our affiliates participates in the preparation of the publicly available documents described below. Neither we nor any of our affiliates has made any due diligence inquiry with respect to the Reference Assets in connection with the offering of the notes. There can be no assurance that all events occurring prior to the date hereof, including events that would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents described below and that would affect the trading price of the shares of the Reference Assets, have been or will be publicly disclosed. Subsequent disclosure of any events or the disclosure of or failure to disclose material future events concerning the Reference Assets could affect the price of the shares of the Reference Assets on each Observation Date and on the Valuation Date, and therefore could affect the payments on the notes.

 

The selection of a Reference Asset is not a recommendation to buy or sell the shares of that Reference Asset. Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the shares of the Reference Assets. Information provided to or filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940 relating to the Reference Assets may be obtained through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We encourage you to review recent levels of the Reference Assets prior to making an investment decision with respect to the notes.

 

The Global X Uranium ETF (“URA”)

 

The Global X Uranium ETF is an exchange-traded fund of Global X Funds® (the “Global X Trust”) that seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index. The Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index tracks the price movements in shares of companies which are (or are expected to be in the near future) active in the uranium industry. This particularly includes uranium mining, exploration, uranium investments and technologies related to the uranium industry. The Index will include a minimum of 20 components at every rebalancing.

 

Information about the Global X Uranium ETF filed with the SEC can be found by reference to the Global X Trust’s SEC file numbers: 333-151713 and 811-22209 or its CIK code: 0001432353. Shares of the Global X Uranium ETF trade on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “URA.”

 

The Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index.

 

The Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index (the “Index”) is owned, calculated, administered and published by Solactive AG (“Solactive”). The level of the Index is published on Bloomberg under the symbol “SOLURANT”.

 

The Index seeks to represent companies that have or are expected to have business operations or exposure in the uranium industry, including uranium mining, exploration, uranium investments and technologies related to the uranium industry. The index is calculated based on a base date of January 30, 2018.

 

Index Calculation

 

The Index is calculated based on a divisor methodology whereby the current value of the components (taking into account their weight within the Index and any currency conversion) is divided by the Index divisor to calculate the level of the Index. The divisor is a mathematical factor defined at the inception of the Index and is adjusted for certain corporate actions and rebalances. The Index is calculated as a net total return index; any dividends or other distributions are reinvested across the entire basket of components by means of the divisor.

 

The price of components that are not traded in U.S. dollars will be converted to U.S. dollars. Intraday levels will be converted using the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) spot foreign exchange rate. The closing levels will be converted using the WM Reuters exchange rate for such day.

 

Components

 

Twice per year in January in July, Solactive will revise the composition of the Index based on a two-step process. First, Solactive will determine the “Index Universe.” Then, Solactive will select the components from the Index Universe.

 

To be included in the Index Universe, a stock must meet all of the following criteria:

 

·Primary listing in a country considered a developed market or an emerging market, excluding China, India and Taiwan. Solactive determines which countries are considered developed markets and emerging markets based on gross national income data provided by the World Bank, with countries in the top third of the World Bank country universe considered developed and countries in the top 90% of the World Bank country universe considered emerging.
·A uranium-related company as determined by Solactive based on the “Uranium Suppliers Annual” provided by the Ux Consulting Company, which also classifies companies as “Pure Play Companies” or “Non-Pure Play Companies”. Pure Play Companies in the “Uranium Suppliers Annual” are generally those with significant business operations in the uranium industry (particularly in uranium mining and exploration for uranium) as reflected by publicly disclosed information. Non-Pure Play Companies are generally those that conduct business operations that are related to the uranium industry (in particular uranium mining, exploration for uranium, physical uranium investments and technologies related to the uranium industry), and in which they generate large absolute revenues as reflected by publicly disclosed information. Additionally, a list of “Nuclear Component Producers” will be added to the Index Universe.
·Free float market capitalization of at least $50,000,000 for new components or $30,000,000 for existing components.
·Three month average daily trading volume of at least $100,000 for new components or $50,000 for existing components.

 

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·Listed for at least ten calendar days if initially listed in a “significant IPO” prior to the selection day or three calendar months prior to the selection day.
·Not a “controversial weapons company” which includes:
oCompanies involved in the production development or maintenance of Anti-personnel mines, Biological or Chemical weapons, Cluster munitions, Depleted uranium, Nuclear weapons, or any other weapon that violate humanitarian principles through normal use.
oCompanies that produce or develop key and dedicated components for controversial weapons.
oCompanies that hold a 20% or greater stake in a company that is involved in controversial weapons.
oCompanies currently 50% or more owned by a company that is involved in controversial weapons.

 

All on the companies included in the Index Universe will be included in the Index as components, except that the total number of Non-Pure Play Companies and Nuclear Component Producers collectively will be capped at 15 (with preference given to existing components and new components added in order of market capitalization until the cap is reached).

 

Weighting

 

The weights of the Index components are determined by both market capitalization and liquidity. The weight of an Index components will be determined by the lesser of the free float market capitalization and the average daily trading volume multiplied by 2000, provided, however, that (i) Non-Pure Play Companies and Nuclear Component Producers will be capped at 2.00%, (ii) Pure Play Companies are capped at 22.50%, (iii) aggregate weight of all Pure Play Companies with a weight of 5.00% or greater will be capped at 47.50%, (iv) remaining Pure Play Companies are capped at 4.75%, and (v) the aggregate weight of all Index components structured as investment trusts which provide exposure to physical uranium is capped at 10%. Any excess weight resulting from this procedure will be redistributed to all the remaining constituents which are not capped on a pro-rata basis.

 

Quarterly Review and Rebalancing

 

Solactive will review the Index components on a quarterly basis to ensure:

 

·The maximum weight of the component does not exceed 25%.
oIf this is breached, the component is capped at 22% and excess weight is redistributed to other non-capped stocks.
·The maximum aggregate weight of the top 5 components must not exceed 60%.
oIf this is breached, the stocks will be proportionally capped at 55% and excess weight is redistributed to other non-capped stocks.
·The maximum weight of components with a market liquidity below 250,000 shares traded and $25,000,000 monthly average daily trading volume (each as a monthly average over the past 6 months) must not exceed 30%.
oIf this is breached, the stocks will be proportionally capped at 25% and excess weight is redistributed to other non-capped stocks.
·The maximum weight of components with a market capitalization below $100,000,000 must not exceed 10%.
oIf this is breached, the stocks will be proportionally capped at 9% and excess weight is redistributed to other non-capped stocks.

 

This reweighting process will be repeated until none of the constraints are breached.

 

Maintenance

 

Depending on events affecting the components, Solactive may make adjustments to the Index between review dates, including market disruptions and corporate actions. Additional information on how Solactive may adjust its indices is available from the Solactive website.

 

The iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (“IGV”)

 

The iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF is an exchange-traded fund of iShares Trust, a registered investment company, that is advised by BlackRock Fund Advisors, that seeks to track the investment results, before fees and expenses, of an index composed of North American equities in the software industry and select North American equities from interactive home entertainment and interactive media and services industries, which is currently the S&P North American Expanded Technology Software IndexTM. The S&P North American Expanded Technology Software IndexTM is a modified market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of U.S.-traded securities in the GICS application software and systems software sub-industries, as well as applicable supplementary stocks. Information about the iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF filed with the SEC can be found by reference to its SEC file numbers: 333-92935 and 811-09729 or its CIK Code: 0001100663. The iShares® Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF trades on the Cboe BZX under the ticker symbol “IGV.”

 

The S&P North American Expanded Technology Software IndexTM

 

The S&P North American Expanded Technology Software IndexTM (the “Expanded Technology Software Index”) is calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P Dow Jones”). S&P Dow Jones has no obligation to continue to publish, and may discontinue the publication of, the Expanded Technology Software Index.

 

The Expanded Technology Software Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of U.S.-traded securities in the GICS application software and systems software sub-industries, as well as applicable supplementary stocks. The Expanded Technology Software Index is reported by Bloomberg L.P. under the ticker symbol “SPNASEUP.”

 

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Expanded Technology Software Index Composition and Construction

 

The Expanded Technology Software Index is comprised of the constituents of the S&P North American Technology Software IndexTM (the “Parent Index”) and eligible supplementary stocks. S&P Dow Jones assigns constituents to the Parent Index based on the constituent’s classification under the GICS. The Parent Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the GICS application software and systems software sub-industries.

 

The supplementary stocks as of November 2024 include the common stock of Electronic Arts, Snap, Inc. and Take-Two Interactive Software. Supplementary stocks are included in the Expanded Technology Software Index if the relevant stock is not included in the list of eligible GICS classifications but otherwise meets all eligibility criteria of the Parent Index.

 

Parent Index Eligibility Criteria

 

To be eligible for inclusion in the Parent Index, the company must be a member of either the S&P Total Market Index (the “S&P TMI”) or the S&P/TSX Composite Index (the “S&P TSX”).

 

·The S&P TMI offers broad market exposure to companies of all market capitalizations, including all U.S. common equities with a primary listing on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, Nasdaq Global Select Market, Nasdaq Select Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA or Cboe EDGX exchanges. Only U.S. companies are eligible for inclusion in the S&P TMI.

 

·The S&P TSX is a broad market measure for the Canadian equity markets and includes common stocks and income trust units. Canadian companies included in the S&P TSX must meet minimum market capitalization requirements based on their volume weighted average prices on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

 

Other eligibility criteria include:

 

·Market Capitalization. A company must have a total market capitalization above the sector capitalization cutoff of US$1.4 billion as of the rebalancing reference date to be added to the Parent Index. This cutoff is subject to change depending on market requirements. Current constituents of the Parent Index with a full market capitalization below 50% of the sector capitalization cutoff are removed.

 

·Liquidity. Stocks must have a liquidity ratio greater than 30% (current constituents must have a minimum of 15%). The liquidity ratio is defined as the annualized dollar value traded over the previous six months divided by the average total market capitalization over the previous six months. The length of time to evaluate liquidity is reduced to the available trading period for initial public offerings or spin-offs that do not have six months of trading history. If a stock has been trading for fewer than six calendar months, the stock’s average daily share volume for its entire trading history is used to calculate its liquidity ratio. Current constituents of the Parent Index with a liquidity ratio less than 15%, based on annualized dollar value traded for the prior six calendar months, are removed.

 

·Public Float. Companies with a public float below 20% are not eligible (or 10% for current constituents of the Parent Index).

 

·Exchange Listing. The company’s stock must trade on the New York Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Stock Market or Cboe. Only actual common shares outstanding are eligible for inclusion. Canadian companies with common shares listed on the above exchanges are eligible for inclusion, but American Depositary Receipts are not eligible.

 

·Sector Classification. Companies must be classified under the GICS application software or systems software sub-industries.

 

·Minimum Constituent Count. At each quarterly rebalancing, if the constituent count is less than 22 after applying the rules set forth in the eligibility criteria, the market capitalization requirement is relaxed so that the next largest non-constituent in the eligible universe is added until the constituent count reaches 22. A buffer is applied such that a stock being added must have a float-adjusted market capitalization greater than 1.2 times (or 20% higher than) the stock it is replacing. The buffer is evaluated on each stock addition relative to the current stock it is replacing. For example, the largest non-index stock by float-adjusted market capitalization is evaluated against the smallest index constituent, the second largest non-index stock is evaluated against the second smallest index constituent, etc. This process is repeated until no stock additions exceed the buffer.

 

·Multiple Classes of Stock. All publicly listed multiple share class lines are eligible for inclusion in the Parent Index, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.

 

Additions and Deletions to the Expanded Technology Software Index

 

Additions to the Parent Index are added to the Expanded Technology Software Index simultaneously. With the exception of the Supplementary Stocks, constituents removed from the Parent Index are removed from the Expanded Technology Software Index simultaneously. If a Supplementary Stock is removed from the S&P TMI, it is removed from the Expanded Technology Software Index simultaneously. See “– Maintenance and Governance of the Expanded Technology Software Index and the Parent Index” below for additional information on additions and deletions.

 

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Expanded Technology Software Index Capping Methodology

 

For capping purposes, the Expanded Technology Software Index is rebalanced quarterly, after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September and December, using the following procedures:

 

1.The rebalancing reference date is the Thursday prior to the second Friday of March, June, September and December.

 

2.With prices reflected on the rebalancing reference date, and membership, shares outstanding and investable weight factors as of the rebalancing effective date, each company is weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization.

 

3.If any company’s weight exceeds 8.5%, that company’s weight is capped at the maximum level and all excess weight is proportionally redistributed to all uncapped companies within the Expanded Technology Software Index. If, after this redistribution, any company breaches the weight cap, the process is repeated iteratively until no company breaches the company capping rule.

 

4.The aggregate weight of the companies in the Expanded Technology Software Index with a weight greater than 4.5% cannot exceed 45%. These caps are set to allow for a buffer below the respective 5% and 50% limits.

 

5.If the rule in paragraph 4 is breached, all the companies are ranked in descending order of their weights and the company with the lowest weight that causes the 45% limit to be breached is reduced either until the rule in paragraph 4 is satisfied or its individual weight falls to 4.5%.

 

6.This excess weight is proportionally redistributed to all companies with weights below 4.5%. Any stock that receives weight cannot breach the 4.5% cap. This process is repeated iteratively until paragraph 4 is satisfied or until all stocks are greater than or equal to 4.5%.

 

Maintenance and Governance of the Expanded Technology Software Index and the Parent Index

 

Membership in the Expanded Technology Software Index and the Parent Index is reviewed semi-annually, effective after the market close on the third Friday of June and December. The reconstitution reference date is after the market close of the last trading date of the previous month.

 

Additions. Except for spin-offs, companies can only be added at the time of the semi-annual reconstitution. All companies not already included which meet the eligibility criteria on the reconstitution reference date are added prior to the open of trading on the reconstitution date.

 

Deletions. Between rebalancings, a company can be deleted due to corporate events such as mergers, acquisitions, takeovers or delistings. Deleted constituents are not replaced. In the case of GICS changes, where a company does not belong to a qualifying sector after a classification change, it is removed at the next reconstitution.

 

Spin-offs. The spin-off is added at a zero price after the market close of the day before the ex-date (with no divisor adjustment). If the spin-off remains in the S&P TMI or the S&P TSX, both the parent and the spin-off will remain until the next index reconstitution, at which time each will be evaluated for continued membership. If the spin-off does not remain in the underlying universe, the spin-off is then after the close of its first day of regular way trading (with a divisor adjustment).

 

Other Corporate Actions. Adjustments may be made for other corporate actions, such as changes in shares outstanding, stock splits or reverse splits, special dividends, right offerings and mergers and acquisitions.

 

Other Adjustments. In cases where there is no achievable market price for a stock being deleted, it can be removed at a zero or minimal price.

 

An S&P Dow Jones Index Committee (“Index Committee”) maintains the Parent Index and the Expanded Technology Software Index. The Index Committee may revise the methodology, method of calculation and method of adjustments for the Parent Index and/or the Expanded Technology Software Index at any time and may make exceptions when applying the methodology.

 

The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF (“XBI”)

 

The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF is an investment portfolio maintained and managed by SSgA Funds Management, Inc. (“SSFM”). SSFM is the investment advisor to separate investment portfolios, including the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF. The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index. The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index represents the biotechnology sub-industry portion of the Standard & Poor’s Total Market Index (“S&P TMI”), an index that is designed to measure the performance of the U.S. equity market. The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF trades on NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “XBI.”

 

In seeking to track the performance of the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index, the State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF employs a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund is not required to purchase all of the securities represented in the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index. Instead, the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index may purchase a subset of the securities in the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of securities with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index. The State Street® SPDR® S&P® Biotech ETF will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in the common stocks that comprise the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index.

 

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The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index

 

The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index represents the biotechnology segment of the S&P TMI. The biotechnology segment of the S&P TMI comprises the Biotechnology sub-industry. The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index is one of 21 of the S&P Select Industry Indices (the “Select Industry Indices”), each designed to measure the performance of a narrow sub-industry or group of sub-industries determined based on the Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”). Membership in the Select Industry Indices is based on the GICS classification, as well as liquidity and market cap requirements. Companies in the Select Industry Indices are classified according to GICS which determines classifications primarily based on revenues; however, earnings and market perception are also considered. The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index consists of the S&P TMI constituents belonging to the Biotechnology sub-industry that satisfy the following criteria:

 

•     have a float-adjusted market capitalization greater than or equal to $500 million with a float-adjusted liquidity ratio (defined by dollar value traded over the previous 12 months divided by the float-adjusted market capitalization as of the index rebalancing reference date) greater than or equal to 90% or have a float-adjusted market capitalization greater than or equal to $400 million with a float-adjusted liquidity ratio (as defined above) greater than or equal to 150%; and

 

•     are U.S. based companies.

 

The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index is modified equal weighted.

 

To evaluate liquidity, the dollar value traded for initial public offerings or spin-offs that do not have 12 months of trading history is annualized. If there are fewer than 35 stocks, stocks from the Life Sciences Tools & Services sub-industry that meet the market capitalization and liquidity thresholds are included in order of their float-adjusted market capitalization from largest to smallest. If there continues to be fewer than 22 stocks, the market capitalization threshold may be relaxed to ensure that there are at least 22 stocks in the S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index as of the rebalancing effective date. Existing index constituents are removed at the quarterly rebalancing effective date if either their float-adjusted market capitalization falls below $300 million or their float-adjusted liquidity ratio falls below 50%. The market capitalization threshold and the liquidity threshold are each reviewed from time to time based on market conditions.

 

The S&P® Biotechnology Select IndustryTM Index rebalances and reconstitutes quarterly on the third Friday of the quarter ending month. The reference date for additions and deletions is after the close of the last trading date of the previous month. The S&P TMI tracks all eligible U.S. common equities listed on the NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, NASDAQ Global Select Market, NASDAQ Select Market, NASDAQ Capital Market, Cboe BZX, Cboe BYX, Cboe EDGA, or Cboe EDGX exchanges.

 

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Validity of the Notes

 

In the opinion of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, the issue and sale of the notes has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Bank in conformity with the Senior Indenture, and when this pricing supplement has been attached to, and duly notated on, the master note that represents the notes, the notes will have been validly executed and issued and, to the extent validity of the notes is a matter governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario, or the laws of Canada applicable therein, and will be valid obligations of the Bank, subject to the following limitations (i) the enforceability of the Senior Indenture may be limited by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (Canada), the Winding-up and Restructuring Act (Canada) and bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium, arrangement or winding-up laws or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally; (ii) the enforceability of the Senior Indenture may be limited by equitable principles, including the principle that equitable remedies such as specific performance and injunction may only be granted in the discretion of a court of competent jurisdiction; (iii) pursuant to the Currency Act (Canada) a judgment by a Canadian court must be awarded in Canadian currency and that such judgment may be based on a rate of exchange in existence on a day other than the day of payment; and (iv) the enforceability of the Senior Indenture will be subject to the limitations contained in the Limitations Act, 2002 (Ontario), and such counsel expresses no opinion as to whether a court may find any provision of the Senior Debt Indenture to be unenforceable as an attempt to vary or exclude a limitation period under that Act. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the Provinces of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable thereto. 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 March 25, 2025, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.3 to Bank of Montreal’s Form 6-K filed with the SEC and dated March 25, 2025.

 

In the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP, when this pricing supplement has been attached to, and duly notated on, the master note that represents the notes, and the notes have been issued and sold as contemplated herein, the notes will be valid, binding and enforceable obligations of Bank of Montreal, entitled to the benefits of the Senior Indenture, 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). This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York. Insofar as this opinion involves matters governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario, or the laws of Canada applicable therein, Mayer Brown LLP has assumed, without independent inquiry or investigation, the validity of the matters opined on by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Canadian legal counsel for the issuer, in its opinion expressed above. This opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the Senior Indenture and the genuineness of signatures and to such counsel’s reliance on the Bank of Montreal and other sources as to certain factual matters, all as stated in the legal opinion of Mayer Brown LLP dated March 25, 2025, which has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to a report on Form 6-K by the Bank of Montreal on March 25, 2025.

 

 

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