10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 15:28
This pricing supplement, which is not complete and may be changed, relates to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933. This pricing supplement and the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus are not an offer to sell these Notes in any country or jurisdiction where such an offer would not be permitted.
•
|
The Capped Return Notes Linked to the Nasdaq-100® Index, due November 27, 2026 (the "Notes") are expected to price on November 22, 2024 and expected to issue on November 27, 2024.
|
•
|
Approximate 2 year term.
|
•
|
Payment on the Notes will depend on the performance of the Nasdaq-100® Index (the "Underlying").
|
•
|
If the Ending Value of the Underlying is greater than 100% of its Starting Value, at maturity, you will receive 100.00% upside exposure to increases in the value of the Underlying, subject to the Max Return of 13.00%; otherwise, at maturity, you will receive the principal amount.
|
•
|
Any payment on the Notes is subject to the credit risk of BofA Finance LLC ("BofA Finance" or the "Issuer"), as issuer of the Notes, and Bank of America Corporation ("BAC" or the "Guarantor"), as guarantor of the Notes.
|
•
|
No periodic interest payments.
|
•
|
The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
|
•
|
CUSIP No. 09711FLX3.
|
Public offering price(1)
|
Underwriting discount(1)(2)(3)
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance(2)
|
|
Per Note
|
$1,000.00
|
$8.50
|
$991.50
|
Total
|
(1)
|
Certain dealers who purchase the Notes for sale to certain fee-based advisory accounts may forgo some or all of their selling concessions, fees or commissions. The public offering price for investors purchasing the Notes in these fee-based advisory accounts may be as low as $991.50 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
|
(2)
|
The underwriting discount per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes may be as high as $8.50, resulting in proceeds, before expenses, to BofA Finance of as low as $991.50 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes.
|
(3)
|
In addition to the underwriting discount above, if any, an affiliate of BofA Finance will pay a referral fee of up to $5.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of the Notes in connection with the distribution of the Notes to other registered broker-dealers.
|
Are Not FDIC Insured
|
Are Not Bank Guaranteed
|
May Lose Value
|
Selling Agent
|
Issuer:
|
BofA Finance
|
Guarantor:
|
BAC
|
Denominations:
|
The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000.00 and whole multiples of $1,000.00 in excess thereof.
|
Term:
|
Approximately 2 years.
|
Underlying:
|
The Nasdaq-100® Index (Bloomberg symbol: "NDX"), a price return index.
|
Pricing Date*:
|
November 22, 2024
|
Issue Date*:
|
November 27, 2024
|
Valuation Date*:
|
November 23, 2026, subject to postponement as described under "Description of the Notes-Certain Terms of the Notes-Events Relating to Calculation Days" in the accompanying product supplement.
|
Maturity Date*:
|
November 27, 2026
|
Starting Value:
|
The closing level of the Underlying on the pricing date.
|
Ending Value:
|
The closing level of the Underlying on the Valuation Date.
|
Max Return:
|
$1,130.00 per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes, which represents a return of 13.00% over the principal amount.
|
Redemption Amount:
|
The Redemption Amount per $1,000.00 in principal amount of Notes will be:
a) If the Ending Value of the Underlying is greater than the Starting Value:
b) If the Ending Value of the Underlying is equal to or less than the Starting Value:
|
Calculation Agent:
|
BofA Securities, Inc. ("BofAS"), an affiliate of BofA Finance.
|
Selling Agent:
|
BofAS
|
CUSIP:
|
09711FLX3
|
Underlying Return:
|
|
Events of Default and Acceleration:
|
If an Event of Default, as defined in the senior indenture relating to the Notes and in the section entitled "Description of Debt Securities of BofA Finance LLC-Events of Default and Rights of Acceleration; Covenant Breaches" on page 54 of the accompanying prospectus, with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, the amount payable to a holder of the Notes upon any acceleration permitted under the senior indenture will be equal to the amount described under the caption "Redemption Amount" above, calculated as though the date of acceleration were the Maturity Date of the Notes and as though the Valuation Date were the third Trading Day prior to the date of acceleration. In case of a default in the payment of the Notes, whether at their maturity or upon acceleration, the Notes will not bear a default interest rate.
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-2
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-3
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-4
|
Ending Value
|
Underlying Return
|
Redemption Amount per Note
|
Return on the Notes
|
160.00
|
60.00%
|
$1,130.00
|
13.00%
|
150.00
|
50.00%
|
$1,130.00
|
13.00%
|
140.00
|
40.00%
|
$1,130.00
|
13.00%
|
130.00
|
30.00%
|
$1,130.00
|
13.00%
|
120.00
|
20.00%
|
$1,130.00
|
13.00%
|
113.00
|
13.00%
|
$1,130.00(1)
|
13.00%
|
110.00
|
10.00%
|
$1,100.00
|
10.00%
|
105.00
|
5.00%
|
$1,050.00
|
5.00%
|
102.00
|
2.00%
|
$1,020.00
|
2.00%
|
100.00(2)
|
0.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
90.00
|
-10.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
80.00
|
-20.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
70.00
|
-30.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
60.00
|
-40.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
50.00
|
-50.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
0.00
|
-100.00%
|
$1,000.00
|
0.00%
|
(1)
|
The Redemption Amount per Note cannot exceed the Max Return.
|
(2)
|
The hypothetical Starting Value of 100 used in the table above has been chosen for illustrative purposes only and does not represent a likely Starting Value for the Underlying.
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-5
|
•
|
You may not earn a return on your investment. The payment you will receive at maturity will depend on whether the level of the Underlying increases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value. If the level of the Underlying decreases from the Starting Value to the Ending Value (or if the level of the Underlying is unchanged), you will not receive any positive return on the Notes and will only receive the principal amount at maturity.
|
•
|
The return on the Notes will be limited to the Max Return. The return on the Notes will not exceed the Max Return, regardless of the performance of the Underlying. In contrast, a direct investment in the securities included in the Underlying would allow you to receive the benefit of any appreciation in their value. Any return on the Notes will not reflect the return you would realize if you actually owned those securities and received the dividends paid or distributions made on them.
|
•
|
The Notes do not bear interest. Unlike a conventional debt security, no interest payments will be paid over the term of the Notes, regardless of the extent to which the Ending Value of the Underlying exceeds its Starting Value.
|
•
|
Your return on the Notes may be less than the yield on a conventional debt security of comparable maturity. Any return that you receive on the Notes may be less than the return you would earn if you purchased a conventional debt security with the same Maturity Date. As a result, your investment in the Notes may not reflect the full opportunity cost to you when you consider factors, such as inflation, that affect the time value of money.
|
•
|
The Redemption Amount will not reflect changes in the level of the Underlying other than on the Valuation Date. The level of the Underlying during the term of the Notes other than on the Valuation Date will not be reflected in the calculation of the Redemption Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should generally be aware of the performance of the Underlying while holding the Notes, as the performance of the Underlying may influence the market value of the Notes. The calculation agent will calculate the Redemption Amount by comparing only the Starting Value to the Ending Value for the Underlying. No other level of the Underlying will be taken into account. As a result, if the Ending Value is equal to or less than the Starting Value, you will receive only the principal amount at maturity even if the level of the Underlying was always above its Starting Value prior to the Valuation Date.
|
•
|
Any payments on the Notes are subject to our credit risk and the credit risk of the Guarantor, and any actual or perceived changes in our or the Guarantor's creditworthiness are expected to affect the value of the Notes. The Notes are our senior unsecured debt securities. Any payment on the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. The Notes are not guaranteed by any entity other than the Guarantor. As a result, your receipt of any payments on the Notes will be dependent upon our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to repay our respective obligations under the Notes on the applicable payment date, regardless of the performance of the Underlying. No assurance can be given as to what our financial condition or the financial condition of the Guarantor will be at any time after the pricing date of the Notes. If we and the Guarantor become unable to meet our respective financial obligations as they become due, you may not receive the amount(s) payable under the terms of the Notes.
In addition, our credit ratings and the credit ratings of the Guarantor are assessments by ratings agencies of our respective abilities to pay our obligations. Consequently, our or the Guarantor's perceived creditworthiness and actual or anticipated decreases in our or the Guarantor's credit ratings or increases in the spread between the yield on our respective securities and the yield on U.S. Treasury securities (the "credit spread") prior to the Maturity Date may adversely affect the market value of the Notes. However, because your return on the Notes depends upon factors in addition to our ability and the ability of the Guarantor to pay our respective obligations, such as the value of the Underlying, an improvement in our or the Guarantor's credit ratings will not reduce the other investment risks related to the Notes. |
•
|
We are a finance subsidiary and, as such, have no independent assets, operations, or revenues. We are a finance subsidiary of the Guarantor, have no operations other than those related to the issuance, administration and repayment of our debt securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor, and are dependent upon the Guarantor and/or its other subsidiaries to meet our obligations under the Notes in the ordinary course. Therefore, our ability to make payments on the Notes may be limited.
|
•
|
The public offering price you pay for the Notes will exceed their initial estimated value. The range of initial estimated values of the Notes that is provided on the cover page of this preliminary pricing supplement, and the initial estimated value as of the pricing date that will be provided in the final pricing supplement, are each estimates only, determined as of a particular point in time by reference to our and our affiliates' pricing models. These pricing models consider certain assumptions and variables, including our credit spreads and those of the Guarantor, the Guarantor's internal funding rate, mid-market terms on hedging transactions, expectations on interest rates, dividends and volatility, price-sensitivity analysis, and the expected term of the Notes. These pricing models rely in part on certain
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-6
|
forecasts about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. If you attempt to sell the Notes prior to maturity, their market value may be lower than the price you paid for them and lower than their initial estimated value. This is due to, among other things, changes in the level of the Underlying, the Guarantor's internal funding rate, and the inclusion in the public offering price of the underwriting discount, if any, the referral fee and the hedging related charges, all as further described in "Structuring the Notes" below. 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.
|
•
|
The initial estimated value does not represent a minimum or maximum price at which we, BAC, BofAS or any of our other affiliates would be willing to purchase your Notes in any secondary market (if any exists) at any time. The value of your Notes at any time after issuance will vary based on many factors that cannot be predicted with accuracy, including the performance of the Underlying, our and BAC's creditworthiness and changes in market conditions.
|
•
|
We cannot assure you that a trading market for your Notes will ever develop or be maintained. We will not list the Notes on any securities exchange. We cannot predict how the Notes will trade in any secondary market or whether that market will be liquid or illiquid.
|
•
|
Trading and hedging activities by us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may create conflicts of interest with you and may affect your return on the Notes and their market value. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may buy or sell the securities held by or included in the Underlying, or futures or options contracts or exchange traded instruments on the Underlying or those securities, or other instruments whose value is derived from the Underlying or those securities. While we, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may from time to time own securities represented by the Underlying, except to the extent that BAC's common stock may be included in the Underlying, we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, do not control any company included in the Underlying, and have not verified any disclosure made by any other company. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may execute such purchases or sales for our own or their own accounts, for business reasons, or in connection with hedging our obligations under the Notes. These transactions may present a conflict of interest between your interest in the Notes and the interests we, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including BofAS, may have in our or their proprietary accounts, in facilitating transactions, including block trades, for our or their other customers, and in accounts under our or their management. These transactions may adversely affect the level of the Underlying in a manner that could be adverse to your investment in the Notes. On or before the pricing date, any purchases or sales by us, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including BofAS or others on our or their behalf (including those for the purpose of hedging some or all of our anticipated exposure in connection with the Notes), may affect the level of the Underlying. Consequently, the level of the Underlying may change subsequent to the pricing date, which may adversely affect the market value of the Notes.
We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, also expect to engage in hedging activities that could affect the level of the Underlying on the pricing date. In addition, these hedging activities, including the unwinding of a hedge, may decrease the market value of your Notes prior to maturity, and may affect the amounts to be paid on the Notes. We, the Guarantor or one or more of our other affiliates, including BofAS, may purchase or otherwise acquire a long or short position in the Notes and may hold or resell the Notes. For example, BofAS may enter into these transactions in connection with any market making activities in which it engages. We cannot assure you that these activities will not adversely affect the level of the Underlying, the market value of your Notes prior to maturity or the amounts payable on the Notes. |
•
|
There may be potential conflicts of interest involving the calculation agent, which is an affiliate of ours. We have the right to appoint and remove the calculation agent. One of our affiliates will be the calculation agent for the Notes and, as such, will make a variety of determinations relating to the Notes, including the amounts that will be paid on the Notes. Under some circumstances, these duties could result in a conflict of interest between its status as our affiliate and its responsibilities as calculation agent.
|
•
|
The Notes are subject to risks associated with foreign securities markets. The NDX includes 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 comprising the NDX 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 SEC, and foreign companies are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-7
|
•
|
The publisher or the sponsor of the Underlying may adjust the Underlying in a way that affects its level, and the publisher or the sponsor has no obligation to consider your interests. The publisher or the sponsor of the Underlying can add, delete, or substitute the components included in the Underlying or make other methodological changes that could change its level. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of your Notes.
|
•
|
You will be required to include income on the Notes over their term based on the comparable yield for the Notes. The Notes will be considered to be issued with original issue discount. You will be required to include income on the Notes over their term based on the comparable yield. You are urged to review the section entitled "U.S. Federal Income Tax Summary" and consult your own tax advisor. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding all aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Notes.
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-8
|
•
|
the security's U.S. listing must be exclusively on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market (unless the security was dually listed on another U.S. market prior to January 1, 2004 and has continuously maintained such listing);
|
•
|
the security must be of a non-financial company;
|
•
|
the security may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;
|
•
|
the security must have a minimum three-month average daily trading volume of at least 200,000 shares;
|
•
|
if the issuer of the security is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such security must have listed options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be eligible for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the U.S.;
|
•
|
the issuer of the security may not have entered into a definitive agreement or other arrangement which would likely result in the security no longer being eligible for inclusion in the NDX;
|
•
|
the issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn; and
|
•
|
the issuer of the security must have "seasoned" on NASDAQ, the New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex. Generally, a company is considered to be seasoned if it has been listed on a market for at least three full months (excluding the first month of initial listing).
|
•
|
the security's U.S. listing must be exclusively on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market;
|
•
|
the security must be of a non-financial company;
|
•
|
the security may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;
|
•
|
the security must have a minimum three-month average daily trading volume of at least 200,000 shares;
|
•
|
if the issuer of the security is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such security must have listed options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be eligible for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the U.S. (measured annually during the ranking review process);
|
•
|
the security must have an adjusted market capitalization equal to or exceeding 0.10% of the aggregate adjusted market capitalization of the NDX at each month-end. In the event a company does not meet this criterion for two consecutive month-ends, it will be removed from the NDX effective after the close of trading on the third Friday of the following month; and
|
•
|
the issuer of the security may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn.
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-9
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-10
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-11
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-12
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-13
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-14
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-15
|
Accrual Period
|
Interest Deemed to Accrue During Accrual Period (per $1,000.00 principal amount of the Notes)
|
Total Interest Deemed to Have Accrued from Original Issue Date (per $1,000.00 principal amount of the Notes)
|
November 27, 2024 through December 31, 2024
|
$4.0517
|
$4.0517
|
January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025
|
$44.8694
|
$48.9211
|
January 1, 2026 through November 27, 2026
|
$42.4528
|
$91.3739
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-16
|
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-17
|
•
|
Product Supplement EQUITY-1 dated December 30, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1682472/000119312522315473/d429684d424b2.htm |
•
|
Series A MTN prospectus supplement dated December 30, 2022 and prospectus dated December 30, 2022:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1682472/000119312522315195/d409418d424b3.htm |
CAPPED RETURN NOTES | PS-18
|