Free Writing Prospectus
(To the Prospectus dated January 8, 2016, the Prospectus Supplement dated January 8, 2016, and the Product Prospectus Supplement dated January 8, 2016)
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration No. 333-208507
February 21, 2018
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Royal Bank of Canada
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$
Phoenix Autocallable Notes with Memory Coupon due March 13, 2019
Linked to the Common Stock of Bank of America Corporation
Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series G
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· |
The Notes are designed for investors who wish to receive Contingent Coupons (as defined below) if (i) on any of the Observation Dates (other than the final Observation Date), the closing price of the common stock of Bank of America Corporation (the “Reference Stock”) or (ii) with respect to the final Observation Date, the Final Stock Price (as defined below) is at or above the Coupon Barrier (as defined below). Investors should be willing to forgo fixed interest and dividend payments, in exchange for the opportunity to receive a Contingent Coupon for each Observation Date. Due to the memory feature described below, a Contingent Coupon that is not payable on a Coupon Payment Date may be paid on a subsequent Coupon Payment Date or at maturity.
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· |
Investors in the Notes should be willing to accept the risk of losing some or all of their principal and the risk that no Contingent Coupon payment may be made with respect to some or all of the Observation Dates. Contingent Coupon payments should not be viewed as periodic interest payments.
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· |
The Notes are subject to automatic call if the closing price of the Reference Stock on any Observation Date (other than the final Observation Date) is at or above the Initial Stock Price. If the Notes are not automatically called and the Final Stock Price is below the Trigger Price (as defined below), investors will be fully exposed to the depreciation in the Reference Stock. Investors in the Notes should be willing to accept this risk of loss. All payments on the Notes are subject to our credit risk.
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· |
Senior unsecured obligations of Royal Bank of Canada maturing March 13, 2019.(a)(b)
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· |
Minimum denominations of $10,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
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· |
The Notes are expected to price on or about February 23, 2018(b) (the “trade date”) and are expected to be issued on or about February 28, 2018(b) (the “issue date”).
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Key Terms
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Terms used in this free writing prospectus, but not defined herein, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the product prospectus supplement.
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Issuer:
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Royal Bank of Canada
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Reference Stock:
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The common stock of Bank of America Corporation (Bloomberg symbol: “BAC”)
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Observation Dates:
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June 7, 2018, September 6, 2018, December 6, 2018 and March 8, 2019(a)(b)
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Coupon Payment Dates:
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Three business days following each Observation Date, except that the final Coupon Payment Date will be the maturity date.
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Contingent Coupons and Memory Feature:
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The Contingent Coupon will be paid on each Coupon Payment Date if (i) the closing price of the Reference Stock on the applicable Observation Date (other than the final Observation Date) or (ii) with respect to the final Observation Date, the Final Stock Price is at or above the Coupon Barrier. If the Contingent Coupon is not payable on any Coupon Payment Date, it will be paid on any later Coupon Payment Date (or at maturity) on which the Contingent Coupon is payable, together with the payment otherwise due on that later date. For the avoidance of doubt, once a previously unpaid Contingent Coupon has been paid on a later Coupon Payment Date, it will not be paid again on a subsequent date.
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Contingent Coupon:
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$25.00 per $1,000 in principal amount of the Notes, if payable.
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Coupon Barrier:
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77.25% of the Initial Stock Price
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Call Feature:
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If the closing price of the Reference Stock on any Observation Date (other than the final Observation Date) is at or above the Initial Stock Price, the Notes will be automatically called for a cash payment equal to the principal amount plus the applicable Contingent Coupon for the applicable Observation Date, together with any previously unpaid Contingent Coupons.
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Call Settlement Dates:
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The Coupon Payment Date corresponding to the applicable Observation Date.
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Trigger Price:
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77.25% of the Initial Stock Price
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Payment at Maturity:
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If the Notes are not called and on the final Observation Date:
· the Final Stock Price is at or above the Trigger Price, then you will receive a cash amount equal to the principal amount plus the Contingent Coupon otherwise due on the maturity date and any previously unpaid Contingent Coupons with respect to the prior Coupon Payment Dates; or
· the Final Stock Price is below the Trigger Price, then you will receive a cash amount equal to the principal amount x (1 + the Underlying Return). In this case, you will have a loss of principal that is proportionate to the decline in the Final Stock Price from the Initial Stock Price and you will lose some or all of your initial investment.
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Underlying Return:
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Final Stock Price - Initial Stock Price
Initial Stock Price
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Initial Stock Price:
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The closing price of one share of the Reference Stock on the trade date.
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Final Stock Price:
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The arithmetic average of the closing prices of one share of the Reference Stock on each of the Valuation Dates.
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Valuation Dates:
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March 4, 2019, March 5, 2019, March 6, 2019, March 7, 2019 and the final Observation Date(a)(b)
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Maturity Date:
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March 13, 2019(a)(b)
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CUSIP/ISIN:
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78013XFV5 / US78013XFV55
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Estimated Value:
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The initial estimated value of the Notes as of the date of this document is $982.75 per $1,000 in principal amount, which is less than the price to public. The pricing supplement relating to the Notes will set forth our estimate of the initial value of the Notes as of the trade date, which will not be more than $20 less than this amount. The actual value of the Notes at any time will reflect many factors, cannot be predicted with accuracy, and may be less than this amount.
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Price to Public1
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Underwriting Commission2
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Proceeds to Royal Bank of Canada
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Per Note
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$1,000
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$10
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$990
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Total
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$
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$
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$
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Observation Dates Prior to the Final Observation Date
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Final Observation Date
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||||||
Reference
Stock Price
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Reference Stock
Percentage Change at
Observation Date
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Payment on
Coupon
Payment Date
or Call
Settlement
Date (as
applicable)(1)(2)
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Return on the
Notes
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Final Stock
Price (3)
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Underlying
Return at Final Observation
Date
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Payment at
Maturity(2)
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Return on the Notes(4)
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$180.00
|
80.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
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$180.00
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80.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$170.00
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70.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$170.00
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70.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$160.00
|
60.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$160.00
|
60.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$150.00
|
50.00%
|
$1,025.00
|
2.50%
|
$150.00
|
50.00%
|
$1,025.00
|
2.50%
|
$140.00
|
40.00%
|
$1,025.00
|
2.50%
|
$140.00
|
40.00%
|
$1,025.00
|
2.50%
|
$130.00
|
30.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$130.00
|
30.00%
|
$1,025.00
|
2.50%
|
$120.00
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20.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$120.00
|
20.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$110.00
|
10.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$110.00
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10.00%
|
$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$105.00
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5.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$105.00
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5.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$100.00
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0.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$100.00
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0.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$95.00
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-5.00%
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$31.75
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2.50%
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$95.00
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-5.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
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$90.00
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-10.00%
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$31.75
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2.50%
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$90.00
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-10.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
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$85.00
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-15.00%
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$31.75
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2.50%
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$85.00
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-15.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$80.00
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-20.00%
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$31.75
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2.50%
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$80.00
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-20.00%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$77.25
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-22.75%
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$31.75
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2.50%
|
$77.25
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-22.75%
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$1,025.00
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2.50%
|
$70.00
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-30.00%
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$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$70.00
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-30.00%
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$700.00
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-30.000%
|
$60.00
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-40.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$60.00
|
-40.00%
|
$600.00
|
-40.000%
|
$50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$500.00
|
-50.000%
|
$40.00
|
-60.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$40.00
|
-60.00%
|
$400.00
|
-60.000%
|
$30.00
|
-70.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$30.00
|
-70.00%
|
$300.00
|
-70.000%
|
$20.00
|
-80.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$20.00
|
-80.00%
|
$200.00
|
-80.000%
|
$10.00
|
-90.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$10.00
|
-90.00%
|
$100.00
|
-90.000%
|
$0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$0.00
|
0.000%
|
$0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$0.00
|
-100.000%
|
· |
Capped Appreciation Potential — The return potential of the Notes is limited to the Contingent Coupons and you will not participate in any appreciation in the price of the Reference Stock, which may be significant.
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· |
Potential Early Redemption as a Result of Automatic Call Feature — While the original term of the Notes is just over one year, the Notes will be called before maturity if the closing price of the Reference Stock is at or above the Initial Stock Price on the applicable Observation Date (other than the final Observation Date). In such a case, you will receive the principal amount plus the applicable Contingent Coupon corresponding to that Observation Date, plus any previously unpaid Contingent Coupons with respect to prior Observation Dates.
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· |
Contingent Protection Against Loss — If the Notes are not automatically called and the Final Stock Price is at or above the Trigger Price, you will be entitled to receive the full principal amount of your Notes at maturity (plus the applicable Contingent Coupon and any previously unpaid Contingent Coupons with respect to prior Observation Dates). If the Notes are not automatically called and the Final Stock Price is less than the Trigger Price, you will lose 1% of the principal amount of your Notes for every 1% that the Final Stock Price is less than the Initial Stock Price. Under these circumstances, you will lose at least 22.75% of your principal amount at maturity and may lose up to your entire principal amount.
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· |
Principal at Risk — Investors in the Notes could lose all or a substantial portion of their principal amount if there is a decline in the Reference Stock below the Trigger Price and the Notes are not automatically called. You will lose 1% of the principal amount of your Notes for each 1% that the Final Stock Price is less than the Initial Stock Price if the Final Stock Price is less than the Trigger Price.
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· |
Contingent Repayment of Principal Applies Only at Maturity — You should be willing to hold your Notes to maturity. If you sell your Notes prior to maturity in the secondary market, if any, you may have to sell your Notes at a loss relative to your initial investment even if the price of the Reference Stock is above the Trigger Price.
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· |
You May Not Receive Any Contingent Coupons — Investors in the Notes will not necessarily receive Contingent Coupons on the Notes. If (i) the closing price of the Reference Stock on an Observation Date (other than the final Observation Date) or (ii) with respect to the final Observation Date, the Final Stock Price is less than the Coupon Barrier, investors will not receive the Contingent Coupon applicable to that Observation Date. If the closing price of the Reference Stock is less than the Coupon Barrier on each of the Observation Dates (other than the final Observation Date) and the Final Stock Price is less than the Coupon Barrier, investors will not receive any Contingent Coupons during the term of the Notes, and will not receive a positive return on the Notes. Contingent Coupon payments should not be viewed as periodic interest payments. Generally, this non-payment of the Contingent Coupon coincides with a period of greater risk of principal loss on the Notes. Notwithstanding the memory feature described above, there can be no assurance that any unpaid Contingent Coupon will become payable during the term of the notes.
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· |
Your Return May Be Lower than the Return on a Conventional Debt Security of Comparable Maturity — The return that you will receive on the Notes, which could be negative, may be less than the return you could earn on other investments. Even if your return is positive, your return may be less than the return you would earn if you bought one of our conventional senior interest bearing debt securities.
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· |
Reinvestment Risk — If your Notes are automatically called, the term of the Notes may be as short as approximately three months. There is no guarantee that you would be able to reinvest the proceeds from an investment in the Notes at a comparable return for a similar level of risk if the Notes are automatically called prior to the Maturity Date. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, the underwriting commission set forth above will not be rebated if the Notes are called prior to maturity.
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· |
Credit of Issuer — The Notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. As a result, all payments on the Notes are dependent upon our ability to repay our obligations at that time. This will be the case even if the Reference Stock increases after the trade date. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition will be on any payment date.
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· |
There May Not Be an Active Trading Market for the Notes—Sales in the Secondary Market May Result in Significant Losses — There may be little or no secondary market for the Notes. The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. RBCCM and our other affiliates may make a market for the Notes; however, they are not required to do so. RBCCM or any other affiliate of ours may stop any market-making activities at any time. Even if a secondary market for the Notes develops, it may not provide significant liquidity or trade at prices advantageous to you. We expect that transaction costs in any secondary market would be high. As a result, the difference between bid and asked prices for your Notes in any secondary market could be substantial.
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· |
Owning the Notes Is Not the Same as Owning the Reference Stock — The return on your Notes may not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned the Reference Stock. For instance, as a holder of the Notes, you will not have voting rights, rights to receive cash dividends or other distributions, or any other rights that holders of the Reference Stock would have. Further, you will not participate in any appreciation of the Reference Stock, which could be significant.
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· |
There Is No Affiliation Between Us and the Issuer of the Reference Stock, and We Are Not Responsible for any Disclosure by that Company — We are not affiliated with the issuer of the Reference Stock. However, we and our affiliates may currently, or from time to time in the future engage in business with the issuer of the Reference Stock. Nevertheless, neither we nor our affiliates assume any responsibilities for the accuracy or the completeness of any information about the Reference Stock that the issuer of the Reference Stock prepares. You, as an investor in the Notes, should make your own investigation into the Reference Stock and the issuer of the Reference Stock. The issuer of the Reference Stock is not involved in this offering and has no obligation of any sort with respect to your Notes. The issuer of the Reference Stock has no obligation to take your interests into consideration for any reason, including when taking any corporate actions that might affect the value of your Notes.
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· |
Single Stock Risk — The price of the Reference Stock can rise or fall sharply due to factors specific to the Reference Stock and its issuer, such as stock price volatility, earnings, financial conditions, corporate, industry and regulatory developments, management changes and decisions and other events, as well as general market factors, such as general stock market volatility and levels, interest rates and economic and political conditions. We urge you to review financial and other information filed periodically with the SEC by the issuer of the Reference Stock.
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· |
Many Economic and Market Factors Will Impact the Value of the Notes — In addition to the price of the Reference Stock on any 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, including:
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· |
the expected volatility of the Reference Stock;
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· |
the time to maturity of the Notes;
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· |
the dividend rate on the Reference Stock;
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· |
interest and yield rates in the market generally;
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· |
a variety of economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events; and
|
· |
our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings.
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· |
The Estimated Initial Value of the Notes Will Be Less than the Price to the Public — The estimated initial value that will be set forth in the final pricing supplement for the Notes does not represent a minimum price at which we, RBCCM or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase the Notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. If you attempt to sell the Notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and the estimated initial value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the price of the Reference Stock, the borrowing rate we pay to issue securities of this kind, and the inclusion in the price to the public of the underwriting discount and the costs relating to our hedging of the Notes. These factors, together with various credit, market and economic factors over the term of the Notes, are expected to reduce the price at which you may be able to sell the Notes in any secondary market and will affect the value of the Notes in complex and unpredictable ways. Assuming no change in market conditions or any other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which you may be able to sell your Notes prior to maturity may be less than your original purchase price. The Notes are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your Notes to maturity.
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· |
The Estimated Initial Value of the Notes That We Will Provide in the Final Pricing Supplement Will Be an Estimate Only, Calculated as of the Pricing Date — The value of the Notes at any time after the pricing date will vary based on many factors, including changes in market conditions, and cannot be predicted with accuracy. As a result, the actual value you would receive if you sold the Notes in any secondary market, if any, should be expected to differ materially from the estimated initial value of your Notes.
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· |
Market Disruption Events and Adjustments — Whether the Notes will be called prior to maturity, the payment upon an automatic call or at maturity, the Observation Dates, the Valuation Dates and the Reference Stock are subject to adjustment as described in the product prospectus supplement and this free writing prospectus. For a description of what constitutes a market disruption event as well as the consequences of that market disruption event and the unavailability of the price of the Reference Stock on an Observation Date or Valuation Date, see “Market Disruption Events on a Valuation Date” below, and “General Terms of the Notes—Payment at Maturity” and “—Market Disruption Events” in the product prospectus supplement.
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· |
Antidilution Adjustments — For certain corporate events affecting the Reference Stock, the calculation agent may make adjustments to the terms of the Notes. However, the calculation agent will not make such adjustments in response to all events that could affect the Reference Stock. If an event occurs that does not require the calculation agent to make such adjustments, the value of the Notes may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, all determinations and calculations concerning any such adjustments will be made in the sole discretion of the calculation agent, which will be binding on you absent manifest error. You should be aware that the calculation agent may make any such adjustment, determination or calculation in a manner that differs from that discussed in this document or the product prospectus supplement as necessary to achieve an equitable result.
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Period-Start
Date
|
Period-End
Date
|
High Intra-Day Price of
the Reference Stock ($)
|
Low Intra-Day Price of
the Reference Stock ($)
|
Period-End Closing Price
of the Reference Stock ($)
|
||||
1/1/2012
|
3/30/2012
|
10.09
|
5.62
|
9.57
|
||||
4/1/2012
|
6/29/2012
|
9.78
|
6.72
|
8.18
|
||||
7/1/2012
|
9/28/2012
|
9.79
|
6.90
|
8.83
|
||||
10/1/2012
|
12/31/2012
|
11.69
|
8.85
|
11.60
|
||||
1/1/2013
|
3/28/2013
|
12.94
|
10.98
|
12.18
|
||||
4/1/2013
|
6/28/2013
|
13.99
|
11.23
|
12.86
|
||||
7/1/2013
|
9/30/2013
|
15.03
|
12.73
|
13.80
|
||||
10/1/2013
|
12/31/2013
|
15.98
|
13.68
|
15.57
|
||||
1/1/2014
|
3/31/2014
|
18.00
|
15.70
|
17.20
|
||||
4/1/2014
|
6/30/2014
|
17.40
|
14.37
|
15.37
|
||||
7/1/2014
|
9/30/2014
|
17.20
|
14.84
|
17.05
|
||||
10/1/2014
|
12/31/2014
|
18.20
|
15.43
|
17.89
|
||||
1/1/2015
|
3/31/2015
|
18.03
|
14.97
|
15.39
|
||||
4/1/2015
|
6/30/2015
|
17.72
|
15.25
|
17.02
|
||||
7/1/2015
|
9/30/2015
|
18.48
|
14.60
|
15.58
|
||||
10/1/2015
|
12/31/2015
|
18.09
|
14.64
|
16.83
|
||||
1/1/2016
|
3/31/2016
|
16.59
|
10.99
|
13.52
|
||||
4/1/2016
|
6/30/2016
|
15.30
|
12.06
|
13.27
|
||||
7/1/2016
|
9/30/2016
|
16.24
|
12.45
|
15.65
|
||||
10/1/2016
|
12/30/2016
|
23.39
|
15.50
|
22.10
|
||||
1/1/2017
|
3/31/2017
|
25.79
|
22.01
|
23.59
|
||||
4/1/2017
|
6/30/2017
|
24.67
|
22.07
|
24.26
|
||||
7/1/2017
|
9/29/2017
|
25.64
|
22.75
|
25.34
|
||||
10/1/2017
|
12/29/2017
|
30.02
|
25.13
|
29.52
|
||||
1/1/2018
|
2/20/2018
|
32.67
|
29.13
|
31.93
|