10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 15:24
The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This preliminary pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, nor are they soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 30, 2024
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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November , 2024
Medium-Term Senior Notes, Series N
Pricing Supplement No. 2024-USNCH24366
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement Nos. 333-270327 and 333-270327-01
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The securities offered by this pricing supplement are unsecured debt securities issued by Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and guaranteed by Citigroup Inc. Unlike conventional debt securities, the securities do not pay interest, do not guarantee the repayment of principal at maturity and are subject to potential automatic early redemption on a periodic basis on the terms described below. Your return on the securities will depend solely on the performance of the worst performing of the underlyings specified below.
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The securities offer the potential for automatic early redemption at a premium following the first valuation date (other than the final valuation date) on which the closing value of the worst performing underlying on that valuation date is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value. If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, the securities will provide for (i) repayment of the stated principal amount plus a premium at maturity if the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value or (ii) repayment of the stated principal amount at maturity, with no premium, if the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its autocall barrier value but greater than or equal to its final barrier value specified below. However, if the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity and the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its final barrier value, you will lose 1% of the stated principal amount of your securities for every 1% by which its final underlying value is less than its initial underlying value.
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You will be subject to risks associated with each of the underlyings and will be negatively affected by adverse movements in any one of the underlyings. Although you will have downside exposure to the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date, you will not receive dividends with respect to any underlying or participate in any appreciation of any underlying.
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Investors in the securities must be willing to accept (i) an investment that may have limited or no liquidity and (ii) the risk of not receiving any payments due under the securities if we and Citigroup Inc. default on our obligations. All payments on the securities are subject to the credit risk of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and Citigroup Inc.
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KEY TERMS
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Issuer:
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Citigroup Inc.
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Guarantee:
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All payments due on the securities are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Citigroup Inc.
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Underlyings:
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Underlying
Initial underlying value*
Autocall barrier value**
Final barrier value***
Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM
Russell 2000® Index
S&P 500® Index
*For each underlying, its closing value on the pricing date
**For each underlying, 95.00% of its initial underlying value
***For each underlying, 75.00% of its initial underlying value
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Stated principal amount:
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$1,000 per security
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Pricing date:
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November 22, 2024
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Issue date:
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November 27, 2024
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Valuation dates:
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November 24, 2025, May 22, 2026, November 23, 2026, May 24, 2027, November 22, 2027, May 22, 2028, November 22, 2028, May 22, 2029 and November 23, 2029 (the "final valuation date"), each subject to postponement if such date is not a scheduled trading day or certain market disruption events occur
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Maturity date:
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Unless earlier redeemed, November 28, 2029
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Automatic early redemption:
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If, on any valuation date prior to the final valuation date, the closing value of the worst performing underlying on that valuation date is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value, the securities will be automatically redeemed on the third business day immediately following that valuation date for an amount in cash per security equal to $1,000 plus the premium applicable to that valuation date. If the securities are automatically redeemed following any valuation date prior to the final valuation date, they will cease to be outstanding and you will not receive the premium applicable to any later valuation date.
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Payment at maturity:
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If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, you will receive at maturity for each security you then hold:
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If the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value: $1,000 + the premium applicable to the final valuation date
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If the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its autocall barrier value but greater than or equal to its final barrier value: $1,000
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If the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its final barrier value:
$1,000 + ($1,000 × the underlying return of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date)
If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity and the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its final barrier value, you will receive significantly less than the stated principal amount of your securities, and possibly nothing, at maturity.
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Listing:
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The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange
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Underwriter:
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc. ("CGMI"), an affiliate of the issuer, acting as principal
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Underwriting fee and issue price:
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Issue price(1)
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Underwriting fee(2)
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Proceeds to issuer
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Per security:
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$1,000.00
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-
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$1,000.00
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Total:
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$
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-
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$
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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KEY TERMS (continued)
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Premium:
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The premium applicable to each valuation date is the percentage of the stated principal amount indicated below.The premium may be significantly less than the appreciation of any underlying from the pricing date to the applicable valuation date.
•November 24, 2025:
10.40% of the stated principal amount
•May 22, 2026:
15.60% of the stated principal amount
•November 23, 2026:
20.80% of the stated principal amount
•May 24, 2027:
26.00% of the stated principal amount
•November 22, 2027:
31.20% of the stated principal amount
•May 22, 2028:
36.40% of the stated principal amount
•November 22, 2028:
41.60% of the stated principal amount
•May 22, 2029:
46.80% of the stated principal amount
•November 23, 2029:
52.00% of the stated principal amount
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Final underlying value:
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For each underlying, its closing value on the final valuation date
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Worst performing underlying:
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For any valuation date, the underlying with the lowest underlying return determined as of that valuation date
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Underlying return:
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For each underlying on any valuation date, (i) its closing value on that valuation date minus its initial underlying value, divided by (ii) its initial underlying value
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CUSIP / ISIN:
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17333AVV8 / US17333AVV87
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PS-2
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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PS-3
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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If the first valuation date on which the closing value of the worst performing underlying on that valuation date is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value is...
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...then you will receive the following payment per security upon automatic early redemption:
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November 24, 2025
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $104.00 = $1,104.00
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May 22, 2026
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $156.00 = $1,156.00
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November 23, 2026
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $208.00 = $1,208.00
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May 24, 2027
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $260.00 = $1,260.00
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November 22, 2027
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $312.00 = $1,312.00
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May 22, 2028
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $364.00 = $1,364.00
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November 22, 2028
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $416.00 = $1,416.00
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May 22, 2029
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$1,000.00 + applicable premium = $1,000.00 + $468.00 = $1,468.00
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Payment at Maturity Diagram
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n The Securities
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n The Worst Performing Underlying on the Final Valuation Date
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PS-4
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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Underlying
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Hypothetical initial underlying value
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Hypothetical final barrier value
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Hypothetical autocall barrier value
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Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM
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100.00
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75.00 (75.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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95.00 (95.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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Russell 2000® Index
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100.00
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75.00 (75.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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95.00 (95.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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S&P 500® Index
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100.00
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75.00 (75.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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95.00 (95.00% of its hypothetical initial underlying value)
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Underlying
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Hypothetical final underlying value
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Hypothetical underlying return
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Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM *
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110.00
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10.00%
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Russell 2000® Index
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130.00
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30.00%
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S&P 500® Index
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120.00
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20.00%
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Underlying
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Hypothetical final underlying value
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Hypothetical underlying return
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Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM
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120.00
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20.00%
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Russell 2000® Index*
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85.00
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-15.00%
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S&P 500® Index
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120.00
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20.00%
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PS-5
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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Underlying
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Hypothetical final underlying value
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Hypothetical underlying return
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Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM
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120.00
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20.00%
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Russell 2000® Index
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105.00
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5.00%
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S&P 500® Index*
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30.00
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-70.00%
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PS-6
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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You may lose a significant portion or all of your investment. Unlike conventional debt securities, the securities do not provide for the repayment of the stated principal amount at maturity in all circumstances. If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, your payment at maturity will depend on the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date. If the final underlying value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date is less than its final barrier value, you will lose 1% of the stated principal amount of your securities for every 1% by which the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date has declined from its initial underlying value. There is no minimum payment at maturity on the securities, and you may lose up to all of your investment.
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Your potential return on the securities is limited. Your potential return on the securities is limited to the applicable premium payable upon automatic early redemption or at maturity, as described on the cover page of this pricing supplement. If the closing value of the worst performing underlying on one of the valuation dates is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value, you will be repaid the stated principal amount of your securities and will receive the fixed premium applicable to that valuation date, regardless of how significantly the closing value of the worst performing underlying on that valuation date may exceed its initial underlying value. Accordingly, any premium may result in a return on the securities that is significantly less than the return you could have achieved on a direct investment in any or all of the underlyings.
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The securities do not pay interest. Unlike conventional debt securities, the securities do not pay interest prior to maturity. You should not invest in the securities if you seek current income during the term of the securities.
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The securities are subject to heightened risk because they have multiple underlyings. The securities are more risky than similar investments that may be available with only one underlying. With multiple underlyings, there is a greater chance that any one underlying will perform poorly, adversely affecting your return on the securities.
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The securities are subject to the risks of each of the underlyings and will be negatively affected if any one underlying performs poorly. You are subject to risks associated with each of the underlyings. If any one underlying performs poorly, you will be negatively affected. The securities are not linked to a basket composed of the underlyings, where the blended performance of the underlyings would be better than the performance of the worst performing underlying alone. Instead, you are subject to the full risks of whichever of the underlyings is the worst performing underlying.
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You will not benefit in any way from the performance of any better performing underlying. The return on the securities depends solely on the performance of the worst performing underlying, and you will not benefit in any way from the performance of any better performing underlying.
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You will be subject to risks relating to the relationship between the underlyings. It is preferable from your perspective for the underlyings to be correlated with each other, in the sense that their closing values tend to increase or decrease at similar times and by similar magnitudes. By investing in the securities, you assume the risk that the underlyings will not exhibit this relationship. The less correlated the underlyings, the more likely it is that any one of the underlyings will perform poorly over the term of the securities. All that is necessary for the securities to perform poorly is for one of the underlyings to perform poorly. It is impossible to predict what the relationship between the underlyings will be over the term of the securities. The underlyings differ in significant ways and, therefore, may not be correlated with each other.
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The securities may be automatically redeemed prior to maturity, limiting the term of the securities. If the closing value of the worst performing underlying on any valuation date (other than the final valuation date) is greater than or equal to its autocall barrier value, the securities will be automatically redeemed. If the securities are automatically redeemed following any valuation date prior to the final valuation date, they will cease to be outstanding and you will not receive the premium applicable to any later valuation date. Moreover, you may not be able to reinvest your funds in another investment that provides a similar yield with a similar level of risk.
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The securities offer downside exposure to the worst performing underlying, but no upside exposure to any underlying. You will not participate in any appreciation in the value of any underlying over the term of the securities. Consequently, your return on the securities will be limited to the applicable premium payable upon an automatic early redemption or at maturity and may be significantly less than the return on any underlying over the term of the securities.
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You will not receive dividends or have any other rights with respect to the underlyings. You will not receive any dividends with respect to the underlyings. This lost dividend yield may be significant over the term of the securities. The payment scenarios described in this pricing supplement do not show any effect of such lost dividend yield over the term of the securities. In addition, you will not have voting rights or any other rights with respect to the underlyings or the stocks included in the underlyings.
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PS-7
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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The performance of the securities will depend on the closing values of the underlyings solely on the valuation dates, which makes the securities particularly sensitive to volatility in the closing values of the underlyings on or near the valuation dates. Whether the securities will be automatically redeemed prior to maturity will depend on the closing values of the underlyings solely on the valuation dates (other than the final valuation date), regardless of the closing values of the underlyings on other days during the term of the securities. If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, what you receive at maturity will depend solely on the closing value of the worst performing underlying on the final valuation date, and not on any other day during the term of the securities. Because the performance of the securities depends on the closing values of the underlyings on a limited number of dates, the securities will be particularly sensitive to volatility in the closing values of the underlyings on or near the valuation dates. You should understand that the closing value of each underlying has historically been highly volatile.
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The securities are subject to the credit risk of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and Citigroup Inc. If we default on our obligations under the securities and Citigroup Inc. defaults on its guarantee obligations, you may not receive anything owed to you under the securities.
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The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange and you may not be able to sell them prior to maturity. The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Therefore, there may be little or no secondary market for the securities. CGMI currently intends to make a secondary market in relation to the securities and to provide an indicative bid price for the securities on a daily basis. Any indicative bid price for the securities provided by CGMI will be determined in CGMI's sole discretion, taking into account prevailing market conditions and other relevant factors, and will not be a representation by CGMI that the securities can be sold at that price, or at all. CGMI may suspend or terminate making a market and providing indicative bid prices without notice, at any time and for any reason. If CGMI suspends or terminates making a market, there may be no secondary market at all for the securities because it is likely that CGMI will be the only broker-dealer that is willing to buy your securities prior to maturity. Accordingly, an investor must be prepared to hold the securities until maturity.
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The estimated value of the securities on the pricing date, based on CGMI's proprietary pricing models and our internal funding rate, will be less than the issue price. The difference is attributable to certain costs associated with selling, structuring and hedging the securities that are included in the issue price. These costs include (i) any selling concessions or other fees paid in connection with the offering of the securities, (ii) hedging and other costs incurred by us and our affiliates in connection with the offering of the securities and (iii) the expected profit (which may be more or less than actual profit) to CGMI or other of our affiliates in connection with hedging our obligations under the securities. These costs adversely affect the economic terms of the securities because, if they were lower, the economic terms of the securities would be more favorable to you. The economic terms of the securities are also likely to be adversely affected by the use of our internal funding rate, rather than our secondary market rate, to price the securities. See "The estimated value of the securities would be lower if it were calculated based on our secondary market rate" below.
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The estimated value of the securities was determined for us by our affiliate using proprietary pricing models. CGMI derived the estimated value disclosed on the cover page of this pricing supplement from its proprietary pricing models. In doing so, it may have made discretionary judgments about the inputs to its models, such as the volatility of, and correlation between, the closing values of the underlyings, dividend yields on the underlyings and interest rates. CGMI's views on these inputs may differ from your or others' views, and as an underwriter in this offering, CGMI's interests may conflict with yours. Both the models and the inputs to the models may prove to be wrong and therefore not an accurate reflection of the value of the securities. Moreover, the estimated value of the securities set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement may differ from the value that we or our affiliates may determine for the securities for other purposes, including for accounting purposes. You should not invest in the securities because of the estimated value of the securities. Instead, you should be willing to hold the securities to maturity irrespective of the initial estimated value.
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The estimated value of the securities would be lower if it were calculated based on our secondary market rate. The estimated value of the securities included in this pricing supplement is calculated based on our internal funding rate, which is the rate at which we are willing to borrow funds through the issuance of the securities. Our internal funding rate is generally lower than our secondary market rate, which is the rate that CGMI will use in determining the value of the securities for purposes of any purchases of the securities from you in the secondary market. If the estimated value included in this pricing supplement were based on our secondary market rate, rather than our internal funding rate, it would likely be lower. We determine our internal funding rate based on factors such as the costs associated with the securities, which are generally higher than the costs associated with conventional debt securities, and our liquidity needs and preferences. Our internal funding rate is not an interest rate that is payable on the securities.
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The estimated value of the securities is not an indication of the price, if any, at which CGMI or any other person may be willing to buy the securities from you in the secondary market. Any such secondary market price will fluctuate over the term of the securities based on the market and other factors described in the next risk factor. Moreover, unlike the estimated value included in this pricing supplement, any value of the securities determined for purposes of a secondary market transaction will be based on our secondary market rate, which will likely result in a lower value for the securities than if our internal funding rate were used. In addition, any secondary market price for the securities will be reduced by a bid-ask spread, which may vary depending on the aggregate stated principal amount of the securities to be purchased in the secondary market transaction, and the expected cost of unwinding related hedging transactions. As a result, it is likely that any secondary market price for the securities will be less than the issue price.
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PS-8
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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The value of the securities prior to maturity will fluctuate based on many unpredictable factors. The value of your securities prior to maturity will fluctuate based on the closing values of the underlyings, the volatility of, and correlation between, the closing values of the underlyings, dividend yields on the underlyings, interest rates generally, the time remaining to maturity and our and Citigroup Inc.'s creditworthiness, as reflected in our secondary market rate, among other factors described under "Risk Factors Relating to the Securities-Risk Factors Relating to All Securities-The value of your securities prior to maturity will fluctuate based on many unpredictable factors" in the accompanying product supplement. Changes in the closing values of the underlyings may not result in a comparable change in the value of your securities. You should understand that the value of your securities at any time prior to maturity may be significantly less than the issue price.
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Immediately following issuance, any secondary market bid price provided by CGMI, and the value that will be indicated on any brokerage account statements prepared by CGMI or its affiliates, will reflect a temporary upward adjustment. The amount of this temporary upward adjustment will steadily decline to zero over the temporary adjustment period. See "Valuation of the Securities" in this pricing supplement.
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The Russell 2000® Index is subject to risks associated with small capitalization stocks. The stocks that constitute the Russell 2000® Index are issued by companies with relatively small market capitalization. The stock prices of smaller companies may be more volatile than stock prices of large capitalization companies. These companies tend to be less well-established than large market capitalization companies. Small capitalization companies may be less able to withstand adverse economic, market, trade and competitive conditions relative to larger companies. Small capitalization companies are less likely to pay dividends on their stocks, and the presence of a dividend payment could be a factor that limits downward stock price pressure under adverse market conditions.
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Our offering of the securities is not a recommendation of any underlying. The fact that we are offering the securities does not mean that we believe that investing in an instrument linked to the underlyings is likely to achieve favorable returns. In fact, as we are part of a global financial institution, our affiliates may have positions (including short positions) in the underlyings or in instruments related to the underlyings, and may publish research or express opinions, that in each case are inconsistent with an investment linked to the underlyings. These and other activities of our affiliates may affect the closing values of the underlyings in a way that negatively affects the value of and your return on the securities.
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The closing value of an underlying may be adversely affected by our or our affiliates' hedging and other trading activities. We expect to hedge our obligations under the securities through CGMI or other of our affiliates, who may take positions in the underlyings or in financial instruments related to the underlyings and may adjust such positions during the term of the securities. Our affiliates also take positions in the underlyings or in financial instruments related to the underlyings on a regular basis (taking long or short positions or both), for their accounts, for other accounts under their management or to facilitate transactions on behalf of customers. These activities could affect the closing values of the underlyings in a way that negatively affects the value of and your return on the securities. They could also result in substantial returns for us or our affiliates while the value of the securities declines.
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We and our affiliates may have economic interests that are adverse to yours as a result of our affiliates' business activities. Our affiliates engage in business activities with a wide range of companies. These activities include extending loans, making and facilitating investments, underwriting securities offerings and providing advisory services. These activities could involve or affect the underlyings in a way that negatively affects the value of and your return on the securities. They could also result in substantial returns for us or our affiliates while the value of the securities declines. In addition, in the course of this business, we or our affiliates may acquire non-public information, which will not be disclosed to you.
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The calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours, will make important determinations with respect to the securities. If certain events occur during the term of the securities, such as market disruption events and other events with respect to an underlying, CGMI, as calculation agent, will be required to make discretionary judgments that could significantly affect your return on the securities. In making these judgments, the calculation agent's interests as an affiliate of ours could be adverse to your interests as a holder of the securities. See "Risk Factors Relating to the Securities-Risk Factors Relating to All Securities-The calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours, will make important determinations with respect to the securities" in the accompanying product supplement.
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Changes that affect the underlyings may affect the value of your securities. The sponsors of the underlyings may at any time make methodological changes or other changes in the manner in which they operate that could affect the values of the underlyings. We are not affiliated with any such underlying sponsor and, accordingly, we have no control over any changes any such sponsor may make. Such changes could adversely affect the performance of the underlyings and the value of and your return on the securities.
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The U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities are unclear. There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal tax treatment of the securities, and we do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"). Consequently, significant aspects of the tax treatment of the securities are uncertain, and the IRS or a court might not agree with the treatment of the securities as prepaid forward contracts. If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment of the securities, the tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the securities might be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, future legislation, Treasury regulations or IRS guidance could adversely affect the U.S. federal tax treatment of the securities, possibly retroactively.
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PS-9
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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Dow Jones Industrial AverageTM - Historical Closing Values
January 2, 2014 to October 29, 2024 |
PS-10
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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Russell 2000® Index - Historical Closing Values
January 2, 2014 to October 29, 2024 |
PS-11
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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S&P 500® Index - Historical Closing Values
January 2, 2014 to October 29, 2024 |
PS-12
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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You should not recognize taxable income over the term of the securities prior to maturity, other than pursuant to a sale or exchange.
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Upon a sale or exchange of a security (including retirement at maturity), you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and your tax basis in the security. Such gain or loss should be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the security for more than one year.
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PS-13
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Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.
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PS-14
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