Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) details autocallable notes tied to tech stocks
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
GS Finance Corp., guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., is offering 2028 autocallable equity-linked notes tied to Class A shares of Alphabet Inc., Class A shares of Meta Platforms, Inc., and common shares of NVIDIA Corporation. The notes pay no interest and are unsecured obligations of the issuer with a guarantee from Goldman Sachs.
The notes may be automatically called on December 31, 2026 if each underlier’s closing level on December 28, 2026 is at or above its initial level, in which case holders receive $1,650 per $1,000 of face amount. If not called, at maturity in December 2028 investors receive: upside of 250% of the gain of the worst-performing stock if all three finish above their initial levels; full principal back if every underlier is at or above 80% of its initial level and any is at or below its initial level; or a reduced amount if any underlier finishes below 80%, with losses increasing one-for-one beyond the 20% buffer and potentially large. The filing highlights that the notes’ estimated value at pricing is less than the issue price, that secondary market prices may be significantly lower than what investors pay, and that investors bear the credit risk of both GS Finance Corp. and Goldman Sachs.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
FAQ
What are the GS (GS) autocallable equity-linked notes described here?
These are Medium-Term Notes, Series F issued by GS Finance Corp. and fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. They are three-year, equity-linked structured notes whose return depends on the performance of three underliers: Alphabet Inc. Class A, Meta Platforms, Inc. Class A, and NVIDIA Corporation common stock. The notes are unsecured obligations, are not bank deposits or FDIC insured, and will not be listed on any securities exchange.
How does the automatic call feature work for these GS notes tied to Alphabet, Meta and NVIDIA?
The notes have a single call observation date on December 28, 2026. If on that date the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial level, the notes are automatically called and redeemed on the call payment date, expected to be December 31, 2026. In that case, investors receive a fixed amount of $1,650 in cash for each $1,000 face amount (165% of face value), and no further payments are made. Investors do not benefit from any additional increase in the underliers above their initial levels on the call observation date.
What payments can investors receive at maturity if the GS notes are not automatically called?
If the notes are not called, the cash settlement amount on the stated maturity date in December 2028 depends on the lesser performing underlier. If the final level of each underlier is greater than its initial level, investors receive $1,000 plus 250% of the lesser performing underlier’s positive return per $1,000 face amount. If each final level is at or above its 80% buffer level, but any underlier is at or below its initial level, investors receive $1,000 per $1,000 face amount.
If the final level of any underlier is below 80% of its initial level, the payment is reduced according to the formula $1,000 + ($1,000 × buffer rate × (lesser performing underlier return + buffer amount)), using a buffer amount of 20% and buffer rate of 100%. The included example shows that if the lesser performing underlier ends at 20% of its initial level, the cash settlement amount would be 40% of face value, implying a 60% loss of principal for investors who bought at face amount and held to maturity.
Do these Goldman Sachs structured notes pay interest or provide dividends from the underliers?
No. The notes do not bear interest, so investors do not receive periodic coupon payments. In addition, holders do not own any shares of Alphabet, Meta, or NVIDIA and therefore have no rights to dividends, voting, or other shareholder rights in those companies. All payments on the notes are made in cash at the call payment date or at maturity, based on the terms described.
What are the key risks of investing in these GS autocallable equity-linked notes?
The risk factors explain that investors may lose a substantial portion of their investment if any underlier finishes below its 80% buffer level at maturity and the notes are not called. The notes’ estimated value at pricing is less than the original issue price, and secondary market prices may be lower than what investors paid, especially before the call or maturity dates. The notes are subject to the credit risk of both GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., and there is no assurance of an active trading market. The automatic call feature can shorten the investment term and caps the call payment at $1,650 per $1,000 face amount even if the underliers rise significantly.
How are these GS notes expected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes?
According to the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, and as required by the note terms absent a change in law or guidance, each note is expected to be treated as a pre-paid derivative contract on the underliers for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under this approach, on sale, exchange, redemption or maturity, a holder would generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the cash received and the tax basis in the notes. The discussion notes that the tax treatment is uncertain and that the Internal Revenue Service could assert a different view. The issuer states that, as of the issue date, the notes are not expected to be subject to dividend equivalent withholding under section 871(m) and that they will generally be subject to FATCA withholding rules.




