Pricing Supplement No. 2750B product supplement B dated July 31, 2015, prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2015 and prospectus dated April 27, 2016
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Registration Statement No. 333-206013 Rule 424(b)(2)
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The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement and the accompanying underlying supplement, product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell nor do they seek an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion. Dated September 6, 2016 | |
Deutsche Bank AG
$ Securities Linked to the Lesser Performing of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P 500® Index due September 30, 2021
General
| · | The securities are linked to the lesser performing of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P 500® Index (each, an “Underlying”). If the closing level of either Underlying on any annual Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will receive a coupon of $10.00 (the “Base Coupon”). If the closing levels of both Underlyings on any annual Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will receive the Base Coupon plus an additional coupon of between $70.00 and $90.00 (to be determined on the Trade Date) (the “Additional Coupon”) plus any previously unpaid Additional Coupon. Investors will receive the Base Coupon regardless of the performance of either Underlying. However, investors may not receive any Additional Coupon on some or all of the Coupon Payment Dates. |
| · | If the Final Level of the lesser performing Underlying (the “Laggard Underlying”) is greater than or equal to its Trigger Level (equal to 50.00% of its Initial Level), for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will receive at maturity a cash payment equal to the Face Amount. However, if the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will lose 1.00% of the Face Amount for every 1.00% by which the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Initial Level. The securities do not pay any dividends and investors should be willing to lose a significant portion or all of their investment if the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level. Any payment on the securities is subject to the credit of the Issuer. |
| · | Senior unsecured obligations of Deutsche Bank AG due September 30, 2021 |
| · | Minimum purchase of $1,000. Minimum denominations of $1,000 (the “Face Amount”) and integral multiples thereof. |
| · | The securities are expected to price on or about September 27, 2016 (the “Trade Date”) and are expected to settle on or about September 30, 2016 (the “Settlement Date”). |
Key Terms
| Issuer: | Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch | |||
| Issue Price: | 100% of the Face Amount | |||
| Underlyings: | Underlying | Ticker Symbol | Initial Level† | Trigger Level† |
| Russell 2000® Index | RTY | |||
| S&P 500® Index | SPX | |||
| † The Initial Level and Trigger Level for each Underlying will be set on the Trade Date. | ||||
| (Key Terms continued on next page) | ||||
Investing in the securities involves a number of risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 of the accompanying product supplement, page PS-5 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and page 13 of the accompanying prospectus and “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page PS-9 of this pricing supplement.
The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date is approximately $934.00 to $954.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities, which is less than the Issue Price. Please see “Issuer’s Estimated Value of the Securities” on page PS-3 of this pricing supplement for additional information.
By acquiring the securities, you will be bound by and deemed irrevocably to consent to the imposition of any Resolution Measure (as defined below) by the competent resolution authority, which may include the write down of all, or a portion, of any payment on the securities or the conversion of the securities into ordinary shares or other instruments of ownership. If any Resolution Measure becomes applicable to us, you may lose some or all of your investment in the securities. Please see “Resolution Measures and Deemed Agreement” on page PS-4 of this pricing supplement for more information.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this pricing supplement or the accompanying underlying supplement, product supplement, prospectus supplement or prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| Price to Public | Maximum Discounts and Commissions(1) | Minimum Proceeds to Us | |
| Per Security | $1,000.00 | $22.50 | $977.50 |
| Total | $ | $ | $ |
| (1) | For more detailed information about discounts and commissions, please see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in this pricing supplement. The securities will be sold with varying underwriting discounts and commissions in an amount not to exceed $22.50 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (“DBSI”) may pay a fee of up to $20.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities to CAIS Capital LLC with respect to the securities for which CAIS Capital LLC acts as introducing broker. |
The agent for this offering is our affiliate. For more information, please see “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest) ” in this pricing supplement.
The securities are not deposits or savings accounts and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other U.S. or foreign governmental agency or instrumentality.
| Deutsche Bank Securities |
September , 2016
(Key Terms continued from previous page)
| Coupon Feature: | · If the closing levels of both Underlyings on any Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, Deutsche Bank AG will pay you the Base Coupon and the Additional Coupon plus any previously unpaid Additional Coupon on the related Coupon Payment Date.
· If the closing level of either Underlying on any Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, Deutsche Bank AG will pay you only the Base Coupon on the related Coupon Payment Date.
If an Additional Coupon is not paid on a Coupon Payment Date because the closing level of either Underlying on the related Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, such unpaid Additional Coupon will be paid on a later Coupon Payment Date if the closing levels of both Underlyings on the related Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels. If the closing level of at least one Underlying on each Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, you will not receive any Additional Coupons for the entire term of the securities. |
| Base Coupon: | $10.00 |
| Additional Coupon: | $70.00 – $90.00 (to be determined on the Trade Date) |
| Observation Dates1, 3: | September 27, 2017, September 27, 2018, September 27, 2019, September 28, 2020 and September 27, 2021 (the Final Valuation Date) |
| Coupon Payment Dates1, 2, 3: | October 2, 2017, October 2, 2018, October 2, 2019, October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021 (the Maturity Date) |
| Payment at Maturity: | You will receive a cash payment at maturity that will depend on the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying, calculated as follows: |
| · If the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than or equal to its Trigger Level, you will receive a cash payment at maturity per $1,000 Face Amount of securities equal to the Face Amount. | |
| · If the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, you will receive a cash payment at maturity per $1,000 Face Amount of securities calculated as follows: | |
| $1,000 + ($1,000 x Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying) | |
| If the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, you will lose 1.00% of the Face Amount for every 1.00% by which the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Initial Level. In this circumstance, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment at maturity. Any payment at maturity is subject to the credit of the Issuer. | |
| Laggard Underlying: | The Underlying with the lower Underlying Return on the Final Valuation Date. If the calculation agent determines that the two Underlyings have equal Underlying Returns, then the calculation agent will, in its sole discretion, designate either of the Underlyings as the Laggard Underlying. |
| Trigger Level: | For each Underlying, 50.00% of its Initial Level, as set forth in the table under “Underlyings” above |
| Underlying Return: | For each Underlying, the Underlying Return will be calculated as follows: |
| Final Level – Initial Level | |
| Initial Level | |
| Initial Level: | For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Trade Date, as set forth in the table under “Underlyings” above |
| Final Level: | For each Underlying, the closing level of such Underlying on the Final Valuation Date |
| Trade Date3: | September 27, 2016 |
| Settlement Date3: | September 30, 2016 |
| Final Valuation Date1, 3: | September 27, 2021 |
| Maturity Date1, 3: | September 30, 2021 |
| Listing: | The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. |
| CUSIP / ISIN: | 25152R5A7 / US25152R5A73 |
| 1 | Subject to adjustment as described under “Description of Securities — Adjustments to Valuation Dates and Payment Dates” in the accompanying product supplement. If an Observation Date is postponed, the related Coupon Payment Date will be postponed as described under “Description of Securities — Adjustments to Valuation Dates and Payment Dates” in the accompanying product supplement. |
| 2 | Subject to adjustment as described under “Description of Securities — Periodic and Contingent Coupons” in the accompanying product supplement. |
| 3 | In the event that we make any changes to the expected Trade Date or Settlement Date, the Observation Dates, Coupon Payment Dates, Final Valuation Date and Maturity Date may be changed so that the stated term of the securities remains the same. |
Issuer’s Estimated Value of the Securities
The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities is equal to the sum of our valuations of the following two components of the securities: (i) a bond and (ii) an embedded derivative(s). The value of the bond component of the securities is calculated based on the present value of the stream of cash payments associated with a conventional bond with a principal amount equal to the Face Amount of securities, discounted at an internal funding rate, which is determined primarily based on our market-based yield curve, adjusted to account for our funding needs and objectives for the period matching the term of the securities. The internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities on equivalent terms. This difference in funding rate, as well as the agent’s commissions, if any, and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the securities, reduces the economic terms of the securities to you and is expected to adversely affect the price at which you may be able to sell the securities in any secondary market. The value of the embedded derivative(s) is calculated based on our internal pricing models using relevant parameter inputs such as expected interest and dividend rates and mid-market levels of price and volatility of the assets underlying the securities or any futures, options or swaps related to such underlying assets. Our internal pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect.
The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date (as disclosed on the cover of this pricing supplement) is less than the Issue Price of the securities. The difference between the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date is due to the inclusion in the Issue Price of the agent’s commissions, if any, and the cost of hedging our obligations under the securities through one or more of our affiliates. Such hedging cost includes our or our affiliates’ expected cost of providing such hedge, as well as the profit we or our affiliates expect to realize in consideration for assuming the risks inherent in providing such hedge.
The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date does not represent the price at which we or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase your securities in the secondary market at any time. Assuming no changes in market conditions or our creditworthiness and other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates would be willing to purchase the securities from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, would generally be lower than both the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date. Our purchase price, if any, in secondary market transactions will be based on the estimated value of the securities determined by reference to (i) the then-prevailing internal funding rate (adjusted by a spread) or another appropriate measure of our cost of funds and (ii) our pricing models at that time, less a bid spread determined after taking into account the size of the repurchase, the nature of the assets underlying the securities and then-prevailing market conditions. The price we report to financial reporting services and to distributors of our securities for use on customer account statements would generally be determined on the same basis. However, during the period of approximately six months beginning from the Trade Date, we or our affiliates may, in our sole discretion, increase the purchase price determined as described above by an amount equal to the declining differential between the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date, prorated over such period on a straight-line basis, for transactions that are individually and in the aggregate of the expected size for ordinary secondary market repurchases.
PS-3
Resolution Measures and Deemed Agreement
On May 15, 2014, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted a directive establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms (commonly referred to as the “Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive”). The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive required each member state of the European Union to adopt and publish by December 31, 2014 the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive. Germany adopted the Recovery and Resolution Act (Sanierungs- und Abwicklungsgesetz, or the “Resolution Act”), which became effective on January 1, 2015. The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive and the Resolution Act provided national resolution authorities with a set of resolution powers to intervene in the event that a bank is failing or likely to fail and certain other conditions are met. From January 1, 2016, the power to initiate resolution measures applicable to significant banking groups (such as Deutsche Bank Group) in the European Banking Union has been transferred to the European Single Resolution Board which, based on the European Union regulation establishing uniform rules and a uniform procedure for the resolution of credit institutions and certain investment firms in the framework of a Single Resolution Mechanism and a Single Resolution Fund (the “SRM Regulation”), works in close cooperation with the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the national resolution authorities. Pursuant to the SRM Regulation, the Resolution Act and other applicable rules and regulations, the securities may be subject to any Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority if we become, or are deemed by the competent supervisory authority to have become, “non-viable” (as defined under the then applicable law) and are unable to continue our regulated banking activities without a Resolution Measure becoming applicable to us. By acquiring the securities, you will be bound by and deemed irrevocably to consent to the provisions set forth in the accompanying prospectus, which we have summarized below.
By acquiring the securities, you will be bound by and deemed irrevocably to consent to the imposition of any Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority. Under the relevant resolution laws and regulations as applicable to us from time to time, the securities may be subject to the powers exercised by the competent resolution authority to: (i) write down, including to zero, any payment (or delivery obligations) on the securities; (ii) convert the securities into ordinary shares of (a) the Issuer, (b) any group entity or (c) any bridge bank or other instruments of ownership of such entities qualifying as common equity tier 1 capital; and/or (iii) apply any other resolution measure including, but not limited to, any transfer of the securities to another entity, the amendment, modification or variation of the terms and conditions of the securities or the cancellation of the securities. We refer to each of these measures as a “Resolution Measure.” A “group entity” refers to an entity that is included in the corporate group subject to a Resolution Measure. A “bridge bank” refers to a newly chartered German bank that would receive some or all of our assets, liabilities and material contracts, including those attributable to our branches and subsidiaries, in a resolution proceeding.
Furthermore, by acquiring the securities, you:
| · | are deemed irrevocably to have agreed, and you will agree: (i) to be bound by, to acknowledge and to accept any Resolution Measure and any amendment, modification or variation of the terms and conditions of the securities to give effect to any Resolution Measure; (ii) that you will have no claim or other right against us arising out of any Resolution Measure; and (iii) that the imposition of any Resolution Measure will not constitute a default or an event of default under the securities, under the senior indenture dated November 22, 2006 among us, Law Debenture Trust Company of New York, as trustee, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as issuing agent, paying agent, authenticating agent and registrar, as amended and supplemented from time to time (the “Indenture”), or for the purposes of, but only to the fullest extent permitted by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”); |
| · | waive, to the fullest extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act and applicable law, any and all claims against the trustee and the paying agent, the issuing agent and the registrar (each, an “indenture agent”) for, agree not to initiate a suit against the trustee or the indenture agents in respect of, and agree that the trustee and the indenture agents will not be liable for, any action that the trustee or the indenture agents take, or abstain from taking, in either case in accordance with the imposition of a Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority with respect to the securities; and |
| · | will be deemed irrevocably to have: (i) consented to the imposition of any Resolution Measure as it may be imposed without any prior notice by the competent resolution authority of its decision to exercise such power with respect to the securities; (ii) authorized, directed and requested The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and any direct participant in DTC or other intermediary through which you hold such securities to take any and all necessary action, if required, to implement the imposition of any Resolution Measure with respect to the securities as it may be imposed, without any further action or direction on your part or on the part of the trustee or the indenture agents; and (iii) acknowledged and accepted that the Resolution Measure provisions described herein and in the “Resolution Measures” section of the accompanying prospectus are exhaustive on the matters described herein and therein to the exclusion of any other agreements, arrangements or understandings between you and the Issuer relating to the terms and conditions of the securities. |
This is only a summary, for more information please see the accompanying prospectus dated April 27, 2016, including the risk factors beginning on page 13 of such prospectus.
PS-4
Additional Terms Specific to the Securities
You should read this pricing supplement together with underlying supplement No. 1 dated August 17, 2015, product supplement B dated July 31, 2015, the prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2015 relating to our Series A global notes of which these securities are a part and the prospectus dated April 27, 2016. When you read the accompanying underlying supplement, product supplement and prospectus supplement, please note that all references in such supplements to the prospectus dated July 31, 2015, or to any sections therein, should refer instead to the accompanying prospectus dated April 27, 2016 or to the corresponding sections of such prospectus, as applicable, unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires. You may access these documents on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) at.www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):
| · | Underlying supplement No. 1 dated August 17, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000095010315006546/crt_dp58829-424b2.pdf
| · | Product supplement B dated July 31, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000095010315006059/crt_dp58181-424b2.pdf
| · | Prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2015: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000095010315006048/crt-dp58161_424b2.pdf
| · | Prospectus dated April 27, 2016: |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1159508/000119312516559607/d181910d424b21.pdf
Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 0001159508. As used in this pricing supplement, “we,” “us” or “our” refers to Deutsche Bank AG, including, as the context requires, acting through one of its branches.
This pricing supplement, together with the documents listed above, contains the terms of the securities and supersedes all other prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, brochures or other educational materials of ours. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in this pricing supplement and in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus, as the securities involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before deciding to invest in the securities.
You may revoke your offer to purchase the securities at any time prior to the time at which we accept such offer by notifying the applicable agent. We reserve the right to change the terms of, or reject any offer to purchase, the securities prior to their issuance. We will notify you in the event of any changes to the terms of the securities and you will be asked to accept such changes in connection with your purchase of any securities. You may also choose to reject such changes, in which case we may reject your offer to purchase the securities.
PS-5
Hypothetical Examples
The table below illustrates the hypothetical Payments at Maturity per $1,000 Face Amount of securities for a hypothetical range of performances of the Laggard Underlying (excluding any coupon payments). The table below reflects, for each Underlying, the Trigger Level equal to 50.00% of the Initial Level of such Underlying. The actual Initial Level and Trigger Level for each Underlying will be determined on the Trade Date. The following results are based solely on the hypothetical examples cited below. You should consider carefully whether the securities are suitable to your investment goals. The numbers appearing in the table and examples below may have been rounded for ease of analysis.
We make no representation or warranty as to which of the Underlyings will be the Laggard Underlying for the purposes of calculating the Payment at Maturity.
| Hypothetical Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying (%) | Hypothetical Payment at Maturity ($) (excluding any coupon payments) | Hypothetical Return on the Securities (%) (excluding any coupon payments) |
| 100.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 90.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 80.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 70.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 60.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 50.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 40.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 30.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 20.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 10.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| 0.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -10.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -20.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -30.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -40.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -50.00% | $1,000.00 | 0.00% |
| -60.00% | $400.00 | -60.00% |
| -70.00% | $300.00 | -70.00% |
| -80.00% | $200.00 | -80.00% |
| -90.00% | $100.00 | -90.00% |
| -100.00% | $0.00 | -100.00% |
Hypothetical Examples of Amounts Payable at Maturity
The following hypothetical examples illustrate how the payments on the securities set forth in the table above are calculated as well as how the coupon payments will be determined. The examples below reflect the Base Coupon of $10.00 and assume an Additional Coupon of $80.00 (the midpoint of the range of $70.00 – $90.00). The actual Additional Coupon will be determined on the Trade Date.
Example 1: The closing levels of both Underlyings are greater than their respective Initial Levels on all of the Observation Dates and the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, resulting in an Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying of 60.00%. Because the closing levels of both Underlyings are greater than their respective Initial Levels on all of the Observation Dates, the investor will receive the Base Coupon and the Additional Coupon on each of the related Coupon Payment Dates, resulting in a total coupon payment of $450.00. Because the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, the investor will receive a cash payment at maturity equal to the Face Amount even though the Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying is 60.00%. As a result, the investor will receive a total of $1,450.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities over the term of the securities.
Example 2: The closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on the first, second, fourth and final Observation Dates, but the closing levels of both Underlyings are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels on the third Observation Date. The Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, resulting in an Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying of -20.00%. Because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on the first, second, fourth and final Observation Dates, the investor will receive the Base Coupon, but not the Additional Coupon, for a total coupon payment of $40.00 on the related Coupon Payment Dates. However, because the closing levels of both Underlyings are greater than their respective Initial Levels on the third Observation Date, the investor will receive the Base Coupon and the Additional Coupon plus the two previously unpaid
PS-6
Additional Coupons for the first and second Observation Dates, resulting in a total coupon payment of $250.00 on the related Coupon Payment Date. Because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on the fourth and final Observation Dates, no Additional Coupon will be paid on the fourth and final Coupon Payment Dates. Because the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, the investor will receive a Payment at Maturity of $1,000.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities. After accounting for coupon payments, the investor will receive a total of $1,290.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities over the term of the securities.
Example 3: The closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each of the Observation Dates. The Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, resulting in an Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying of -30.00%. Because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each Observation Date, the investor will receive the Base Coupon, but not the Additional Coupon, on the related Coupon Payment Dates, resulting in a total coupon payment of $50.00. Because the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than its Trigger Level, the investor will receive a Payment at Maturity of $1,000.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities. After accounting for coupon payments, the investor will receive a total of $1,050.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities over the term of the securities.
Example 4: The closing levels of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each of the Observation Dates. The Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, resulting in an Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying of -60.00%, while the Final Level of the other Underlying is greater than its Initial Level by 30.00%. Because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each Observation Date, the investor will receive the Base Coupon, but not the Additional Coupon, on the related Coupon Payment Dates, resulting in a total coupon payment of $50.00. Because the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, the investor will receive a Payment at Maturity of $400.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities, calculated as follows:
$1,000 + ($1,000 x Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying)
$1,000 + ($1,000 x -40.00%) = $400.00
In this example, even though the Final Level of the other Underlying is greater than its Initial Level by 30.00%, because the Payment at Maturity is determined solely by reference to the performance of the Laggard Underlying, the investor will receive a Payment at Maturity of only $400.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities. After accounting for coupon payments, the investor will receive a total of $450.00 over the term of the securities.
Example 5: The closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each of the Observation Dates. The Final Levels of both Underlyings are less than their respective Trigger Levels and the Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying equals -70.00%. Because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each Observation Date, the investor will receive the Base Coupon, but not the Additional Coupon, on the related Coupon Payment Dates, resulting in a total coupon payment of $50.00. Because the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, the investor will receive a Payment at Maturity of $300.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities, calculated as follows:
$1,000 + ($1,000 x Underlying Return of the Laggard Underlying)
$1,000 + ($1,000 x -70.00%) = $300.00
After accounting for coupon payments, the investor will receive a total of $350.00 over the term of the securities.
PS-7
Selected Purchase Considerations
| · | THE SECURITIES OFFER A VARIABLE COUPON IN EXCHANGE FOR EXPOSURE TO THE DOWNSIDE RISK OF THE LAGGARD UNDERLYING ― The securities will pay a variable coupon depending on the performances of the two Underlyings. If the closing level of either Underlying on any annual Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will receive the Base Coupon of $10.00. If the closing levels of both Underlyings on any annual Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, investors will receive the Base Coupon plus the Additional Coupon of between $70.00 and $90.00 (to be determined on the Trade Date) plus any previously unpaid Additional Coupon. Payment of the contingent Additional Coupon may result in a higher yield than that received on debt securities of comparable maturity issued by us or by an issuer with a comparable credit rating, but is subject to the risk that the closing level of at least one Underlying will be less than its Initial Level on each of the Observation Dates and the resulting forfeiture of the Additional Coupon for the entire term of the securities, as well as the risk of losing a significant portion or all of your investment if the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to satisfy our obligations as they become due. |
| · | CONTINGENT ADDITIONAL COUPON PAYMENTS ― Investors will receive the Base Coupon regardless of the performance of either Underlying. However, the Additional Coupon will be paid on a Coupon Payment Date only if the closing levels of both Underlyings on the relevant Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels. If an Additional Coupon is not paid on a Coupon Payment Date because the closing level of either Underlying on the related Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, such unpaid Additional Coupon will be paid on a later Coupon Payment Date if the closing levels of both Underlyings on the related Observation Date are greater than or equal to their respective Initial Levels. If the closing level of at least one Underlying on each Observation Date is less than its Initial Level, you will not receive any Additional Coupons for the entire term of the securities. |
| · | LIMITED PROTECTION AGAINST LOSS — If the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is greater than or equal to its Trigger Level, you will receive at maturity the Face Amount per $1,000 Face Amount of securities (excluding any coupon payments). However, if the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, you will lose 1.00% of the Face Amount for every 1.00% by which the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Initial Level. In this circumstance, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment in the securities. |
| · | RETURN LINKED TO THE LESSER PERFORMING OF THE TWO UNDERLYINGS — The return on the securities, which may be positive, zero or negative, is linked to the lesser performing of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P 500® Index, as described herein. The Payment at Maturity will be determined solely by reference to the performance of the Laggard Underlying. |
Russell 2000® Index
The Russell 2000® Index is designed to track the performance of the small capitalization segment of the U.S. equity market. The Russell 2000® Index measures the composite price performance of stocks of approximately 2,000 companies domiciled in the U.S. and its territories and consists of the smallest 2,000 companies included in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 2000® Index represents approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000® Index. This is only a summary of the Russell 2000® Index. For more information on the Russell 2000® Index, including information concerning its composition, calculation methodology and adjustment policy, please see the section entitled “The Russell Indices — The Russell 2000® Index” in the accompanying underlying supplement No. 1 dated August 17, 2015.
S&P 500® Index
The S&P 500® Index is intended to provide a performance benchmark for the U.S. equity markets. The calculation of the level of the S&P 500® Index is based on the relative value of the aggregate market value of the shares of 500 companies as of a particular time as compared to the aggregate average market value of the shares of 500 similar companies during the base period of the years 1941 through 1943. This is only a summary of the S&P 500® Index. For more information on the S&P 500® Index, including information concerning its composition, calculation methodology and adjustment policy, please see the section entitled “The S&P Dow Jones Indices — The S&P 500® Index” in the accompanying underlying supplement No. 1 dated August 17, 2015.
| · | TAX CONSEQUENCES — Due to the lack of direct legal authority, there is substantial uncertainty regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the securities. In determining our responsibilities for information reporting and withholding, if any, we intend to treat the securities as prepaid financial contracts that |
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are not debt, with associated contingent coupons that constitute ordinary income and that, when paid to a non-U.S. holder, are generally subject to 30% (or lower treaty rate) withholding. Our special tax counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, has advised that while it believes this treatment to be reasonable, it is unable to conclude that it is more likely than not that this treatment will be upheld, and that other reasonable treatments are possible that could materially affect the timing and character of income or loss on your securities. If this treatment is respected, you generally should recognize capital gain or loss on the taxable disposition of your securities (including redemption at maturity), which should be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held the securities for more than one year. However, it is likely that any sales proceeds that are attributable to the Base Coupon portion of the next succeeding contingent coupon, as well as any sales proceeds that are attributable to the Additional Coupon portion of the next succeeding contingent coupon after it has been fixed, will be treated as ordinary income. It is also possible that any sales proceeds attributable to the Additional Coupon portion of the next succeeding contingent coupon prior to the time it has been fixed will be treated as ordinary income.
In 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) released a notice requesting comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. The notice focuses in particular on whether beneficial owners of these instruments should be required to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; the relevance of factors such as the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; and the degree, if any, to which income (including any mandated accruals) realized by non-U.S. persons should be subject to withholding tax. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially affect the tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly with retroactive effect.
As discussed in the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences — ‘FATCA‘ Legislation,” it would be prudent to assume that an applicable withholding agent will treat payments in respect of the securities and gross proceeds from any taxable disposition of a security (including redemption at maturity) as subject to withholding under FATCA. However, under a recent IRS notice, withholding under FATCA will not apply to payments of gross proceeds (other than any amount treated as interest) from the taxable disposition of a security occurring before January 1, 2019. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the potential application of FATCA to the securities.
Non-U.S. holders should note that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” recently promulgated Treasury regulations imposing a withholding tax on certain “dividend equivalents” under certain “equity linked instruments” will not apply to the securities.
You should review carefully the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.” The preceding discussion, when read in combination with that section, constitutes the full opinion of our special tax counsel regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the securities.
Under current law, the United Kingdom will not impose withholding tax on payments made with respect to the securities.
For a discussion of certain German tax considerations relating to the securities, you should refer to the section in the accompanying prospectus supplement entitled “Taxation by Germany of Non-Resident Holders.”
You should consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities (including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by the 2007 notice), as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
Selected Risk Considerations
An investment in the securities involves significant risks. Investing in the securities is not equivalent to a hypothetical investment in the Underlyings or a direct investment in the stocks composing the Underlyings. In addition to these selected risk considerations, you should review the “Risk Factors” sections of the accompanying product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus.
| · | YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES MAY RESULT IN A LOSS — The securities do not guarantee any return of your investment. The return on the securities at maturity is linked to the performance of the Laggard Underlying and will depend on whether the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level. If the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying is less than its Trigger Level, for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities, you will lose 1.00% of the Face Amount for every 1.00% by which the Final Level of the Laggard |
PS-9
Underlying is less than its Initial Level. In this circumstance, you will lose a significant portion or all of your investment at maturity. Any payment on the securities is subject to our ability to satisfy our obligations as they become due.
| · | YOUR RETURN ON THE SECURITIES IS LIMITED TO THE FACE AMOUNT PLUS COUPON PAYMENTS AND YOU WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY INCREASE IN THE LEVELS OF THE UNDERLYINGS — The securities will not pay more than the Face Amount plus the Base Coupon payments and any contingent Additional Coupon payments for each $1,000 Face Amount of securities. You will not participate in any increase in the levels of the Underlyings, even if the Final Levels of both the Underlyings are greater than their respective Initial Levels. The maximum Payment at Maturity will be $1,000.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities (excluding coupon payments), regardless of any increase in the levels of the Underlyings, which may be significant. |
| · | YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL COUPONS — The securities will pay the Base Coupon regardless of the performance of either Underlying. However, the securities may not pay any Additional Coupons on some or all of the Coupon Payment Dates and, therefore, should not be viewed as conventional debt securities with periodic coupon payments. If the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on any Observation Date, on the related Coupon Payment Date you will receive neither the Additional Coupon for such Observation Date nor any previously unpaid Additional Coupon. If an Additional Coupon is not paid on a Coupon Payment Date because the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on the related Observation Date, you will not receive such unpaid Additional Coupon if the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each subsequent Observation Date. If the closing level of at least one Underlying is less than its Initial Level on each of the Observation Dates, Deutsche Bank AG will not pay you any Additional Coupons during the entire term of the securities. |
| · | A HIGHER ADDITIONAL COUPON OR A LOWER TRIGGER LEVEL FOR EACH OF THE UNDERLYINGS MAY REFLECT A GREATER EXPECTED VOLATILITY OF ONE OR BOTH OF THE UNDERLYINGS, WHICH IS GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A GREATER RISK OF LOSS — Volatility is a measure of the degree of variation in the trading prices of an asset over a period of time. The greater the expected volatility at the time the terms of the securities are set on the Trade Date, the greater the expectation is at that time that one or both of the Underlyings may close below its respective Initial Level on an Observation Date (resulting in an Additional Coupon not being paid on the related Coupon Payment Date) or Trigger Level on the Final Valuation Date (resulting in a significant loss on your investment). In addition, the economic terms of the securities, including the Additional Coupon and the Trigger Levels, are based, in part, on the expected volatility of the Underlyings at the time the terms of the securities are set, where higher expected volatility will generally lead to a higher Additional Coupon or a lower Trigger Level for each of the Underlyings. Accordingly, a higher Additional Coupon as compared with the coupon on our conventional fixed income securities with a similar maturity or the coupon on our other similarly structured securities will generally indicate a greater risk of loss, while a lower Trigger Level for each of the Underlyings as compared with otherwise comparable securities does not necessarily indicate that the securities have a greater likelihood of returning your investment at maturity. You should be willing to accept the downside market risk of each of the Underlyings and the potential loss of a significant portion or all of your initial investment at maturity. |
| · | YOUR PAYMENT AT MATURITY WILL BE DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LAGGARD UNDERLYING — The Payment at Maturity will be determined solely by reference to the performance of the Laggard Underlying, without taking into consideration the performance of the other Underlying. |
| · | THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE CREDIT OF DEUTSCHE BANK AG — The securities are senior unsecured obligations of Deutsche Bank AG and are not, either directly or indirectly, an obligation of any third party. Any payment(s) to be made on the securities depends on the ability of Deutsche Bank AG to satisfy its obligations as they become due. An actual or anticipated downgrade in Deutsche Bank AG’s credit rating or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking Deutsche Bank AG’s credit risk will likely have an adverse effect on the value of the securities. As a result, the actual and perceived creditworthiness of Deutsche Bank AG will affect the value of the securities and, in the event Deutsche Bank AG were to default on its obligations or become subject to a Resolution Measure, you might not receive any amount(s) owed to you under the terms of the securities and you could lose your entire investment. |
| · | THE SECURITIES MAY BE WRITTEN DOWN, BE CONVERTED INTO ORDINARY SHARES OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF OWNERSHIP OR BECOME SUBJECT TO OTHER RESOLUTION MEASURES. YOU MAY LOSE SOME OR ALL OF YOUR INVESTMENT IF ANY SUCH MEASURE BECOMES APPLICABLE TO US — Pursuant to the SRM Regulation, the Resolution Act and other applicable rules and regulations described above under “Resolution Measures and Deemed Agreement,” the securities are subject to the powers exercised by the competent resolution authority to impose Resolution Measures on us, which may include: writing down, including |
PS-10
to zero, any claim for payment on the securities; converting the securities into ordinary shares of (i) the Issuer, (ii) any group entity or (iii) any bridge bank or other instruments of ownership of such entities qualifying as common equity tier 1 capital; or applying any other resolution measure including, but not limited to, transferring the securities to another entity, amending, modifying or varying the terms and conditions of the securities or cancelling the securities. The competent resolution authority may apply Resolution Measures individually or in any combination.
The German law on the mechanism for the resolution of banks of November 2, 2015 (Abwicklungsmechanismusgesetz, or the “Resolution Mechanism Act”) provides that, in a German insolvency proceeding of the Issuer, certain specifically defined senior unsecured debt instruments would rank junior to, without constituting subordinated debt, all other outstanding unsecured unsubordinated obligations of the Issuer and be satisfied only if all such other senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer have been paid in full. This prioritization would also be given effect if Resolution Measures are imposed on the Issuer, so that obligations under debt instruments that rank junior in insolvency as described above would be written down or converted into common equity tier 1 instruments before any other senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer are written down or converted. A large portion of our liabilities consist of senior unsecured obligations that either fall outside the statutory definition of debt instruments that rank junior to other senior unsecured obligations according to the Resolution Mechanism Act or are expressly exempted from such definition.
Among those unsecured unsubordinated obligations that are expressly exempted are money market instruments and senior unsecured debt instruments whose terms provide that (i) the repayment or the amount of the repayment depends on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event which is uncertain at the point in time when the senior unsecured debt instruments are issued or is settled in a way other than by monetary payment, or (ii) the payment of interest or the amount of the interest payments depends on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event which is uncertain at the point in time when the senior unsecured debt instruments are issued unless the payment of interest or the amount of the interest payments solely depends on a fixed or floating reference interest rate and is settled by monetary payment. This order of priority introduced by the Resolution Mechanism Act would apply in German insolvency proceedings instituted, or when Resolution Measures are imposed, on or after January 1, 2017 with effect for debt instruments of the Issuer outstanding at that time. In a German insolvency proceeding or in the event of the imposition of Resolution Measures with respect to the Issuer, the competent regulatory authority or court would determine which of our senior debt securities issued under the prospectus have the terms described in clauses (i) or (ii) above, referred to herein as the “Structured Debt Securities,” and which do not, referred to herein as the “Non-Structured Debt Securities.” We expect the securities offered herein to be classified as Structured Debt Securities, but the competent regulatory authority or court may classify the securities differently. In a German insolvency proceeding or in the event of the imposition of Resolution Measures with respect to the Issuer, the Structured Debt Securities are expected to be among the unsecured unsubordinated obligations that would bear losses after the Non-Structured Debt Securities as described above. Nevertheless, you may lose some or all of your investment in the securities if a Resolution Measure becomes applicable to us. Imposition of a Resolution Measure would likely occur if we become, or are deemed by the competent supervisory authority to have become, “non-viable” (as defined under the then applicable law) and are unable to continue our regulated banking activities without a Resolution Measure becoming applicable to us. The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive and the Resolution Act are intended to eliminate the need for public support of troubled banks, and you should be aware that public support, if any, would only potentially be used by the competent supervisory authority as a last resort after having assessed and exploited, to the maximum extent practicable, the resolution tools, including the bail-in tool.
By acquiring the securities, you would have no claim or other right against us arising out of any Resolution Measure and we would have no obligation to make payments under the securities following the imposition of a Resolution Measure. In particular, the imposition of any Resolution Measure will not constitute a default or an event of default under the securities, under the Indenture or for the purposes of, but only to the fullest extent permitted by, the Trust Indenture Act. Furthermore, because the securities are subject to any Resolution Measure, secondary market trading in the securities may not follow the trading behavior associated with similar types of securities issued by other financial institutions which may be or have been subject to a Resolution Measure.
In addition, by your acquisition of the securities, you waive, to the fullest extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act and applicable law, any and all claims against the trustee and the indenture agents for, agree not to initiate a suit against the trustee or the indenture agents in respect of, and agree that the trustee and the indenture agents will not be liable for, any action that the trustee or the indenture agents take, or abstain from taking, in either case in accordance with the imposition of a Resolution Measure by the competent resolution authority with respect to the securities. Accordingly, you may have limited or circumscribed rights to challenge any decision of the competent resolution authority to impose any Resolution Measure.
PS-11
| · | THE ISSUER’S ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE SECURITIES ON THE TRADE DATE WILL BE LESS THAN THE ISSUE PRICE OF THE SECURITIES — The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date (as disclosed on the cover of this pricing supplement) is less than the Issue Price of the securities. The difference between the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date is due to the inclusion in the Issue Price of the agent’s commissions, if any, and the cost of hedging our obligations under the securities through one or more of our affiliates. Such hedging cost includes our or our affiliates’ expected cost of providing such hedge, as well as the profit we or our affiliates expect to realize in consideration for assuming the risks inherent in providing such hedge. The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities is determined by reference to an internal funding rate and our pricing models. The internal funding rate is typically lower than the rate we would pay when we issue conventional debt securities on equivalent terms. This difference in funding rate, as well as the agent’s commissions, if any, and the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the securities, reduces the economic terms of the securities to you and is expected to adversely affect the price at which you may be able to sell the securities in any secondary market. In addition, our internal pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. If at any time a third party dealer were to quote a price to purchase your securities or otherwise value your securities, that price or value may differ materially from the estimated value of the securities determined by reference to our internal funding rate and pricing models. This difference is due to, among other things, any difference in funding rates, pricing models or assumptions used by any dealer who may purchase the securities in the secondary market. |
| · | INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES IS NOT THE SAME AS A HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT IN THE UNDERLYINGS OR A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE STOCKS COMPOSING THE UNDERLYINGS — The return on the securities may not reflect the return you would have realized if you had hypothetically invested in the Underlyings or directly invested in the stocks composing the Underlyings. For instance, your return on the securities is solely dependent upon the performance of the lesser performing Underlying, and you will not participate in any potential increase in the level of either Underlying, which could be significant. |
| · | IF THE LEVELS OF THE UNDERLYINGS CHANGE, THE VALUE OF YOUR SECURITIES MAY NOT CHANGE IN THE SAME MANNER — Your securities may trade quite differently from the levels of the Underlyings. Changes in the levels of the Underlyings may not result in comparable changes in the value of your securities. |
| · | NO DIVIDEND PAYMENTS OR VOTING RIGHTS — As a holder of the securities, you will not have any voting rights or rights to receive cash dividends or other distributions or other rights that holders of the stocks composing the Underlyings would have. |
| · | YOUR INVESTMENT IS EXPOSED TO A DECLINE IN THE LEVEL OF EACH UNDERLYING — Your return on the securities is not linked to a basket consisting of the Underlyings. Rather, any payment on the securities will be determined solely by reference to the performance of the lesser performing of the two Underlyings. Unlike an instrument with a return linked to a basket, in which risk is mitigated and diversified among all of the basket components, you will be exposed equally to the risks related to each of the Underlyings and your return will be based on the lesser performing of the Underlyings, as measured on each Observation Date and the Final Valuation Date. A negative performance by either of the Underlyings over the term of the securities may adversely affect your return on the securities and will not be offset or mitigated by a positive performance by the other Underlying. |
| · | BECAUSE THE SECURITIES ARE LINKED TO THE LESSER PERFORMING OF THE TWO UNDERLYINGS, YOU ARE EXPOSED TO A GREATER RISK OF RECEIVING NO ADDITIONAL COUPONS OR LOSING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OR ALL OF YOUR INVESTMENT THAN IF THE SECURITIES WERE LINKED TO JUST ONE UNDERLYING — The risk that you will not receive any Additional Coupons and/or lose a significant portion or all of your initial investment in the securities is greater than in substantially similar securities that are linked to the performance of just one of the Underlyings. With two Underlyings, it is more likely that the closing level of at least one of the Underlyings will be less than its Initial Level on the Observation Dates (including the final Observation Date) and the Final Level of the Laggard Underlying will be less than its Trigger Level than if the securities were linked to only one of the Underlyings, and therefore it is more likely that you will not receive any Additional Coupons and will receive a Payment at Maturity that is significantly less than your initial investment. In addition, the performance of the Underlyings may not be correlated. If the performance of the Underlyings is not correlated, or is negatively correlated, the potential for the level of at least one Underlying to close below its Initial Level or Trigger Level on an Observation Date or the Final Valuation Date, respectively, is even greater. Although the correlation of the Underlyings’ performance may change over the term of the securities, the Additional Coupon is determined, in part, based on the correlation of the Underlyings’ performance at the time when the terms of the securities are finalized. A higher Additional Coupon is generally associated with a lower correlation of the Underlyings, which reflects a greater potential for loss on your investment at maturity. |
PS-12
| · | BOTH UNDERLYINGS REFLECT THE PRICE RETURN OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPONENT STOCKS, NOT THEIR TOTAL RETURN INCLUDING ALL DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS — Both Underlyings reflect the changes in the market prices of their respective component stocks. Neither Underlying is, however, a “total return” index, which, in addition to reflecting the price returns of the stocks composing such Underlying, would also reflect the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions paid on such component stocks. |
| · | THE SPONSOR OF AN UNDERLYING MAY ADJUST THE RELEVANT UNDERLYING IN WAYS THAT AFFECT THE LEVEL OF SUCH UNDERLYING AND HAS NO OBLIGATION TO CONSIDER YOUR INTERESTS — The sponsor of an Underlying (the “Index Sponsor”) is responsible for calculating and maintaining the relevant Underlying. The Index Sponsor can add, delete or substitute the relevant Underlying components or make other methodological changes that could change the level of such Underlying. You should realize that the changing of such Underlying components may affect such Underlying, as a newly added component may perform significantly better or worse than the component it replaces. Additionally, the Index Sponsor may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of the relevant Underlying. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of, and your return on, the securities. The Index Sponsor has no obligation to consider your interests in calculating or revising the relevant Underlying. |
| · | THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SMALL-CAPITALIZATION COMPANIES — The stocks composing the Russell 2000® Index are issued by companies with relatively small market capitalization. These companies often have greater stock price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies and, therefore, the level of the Russell 2000® Index may be more volatile than the levels of indices that consist of large-capitalization stocks. Stock prices of small-capitalization companies are also generally more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments, and the stocks of small-capitalization companies may be thinly traded. In addition, small-capitalization companies are typically less well-established and less stable financially than large-capitalization companies and may depend on a small number of key personnel, making them more vulnerable to loss of personnel. Such small-capitalization companies tend to have lower revenues, less diverse product lines, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strengths than large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products. These companies may also be more susceptible to adverse developments related to their products or services. |
| · | PAST PERFORMANCE OF THE UNDERLYINGS IS NO GUIDE TO FUTURE PERFORMANCE — The actual performance of the Underlyings over the term of the securities may bear little relation to the historical closing levels of the Underlyings and/or the hypothetical examples set forth elsewhere in this pricing supplement. We cannot predict the future performance of the Underlyings or whether the performance of the Underlyings will result in the return of any of your investment. |
| · | ASSUMING NO CHANGES IN MARKET CONDITIONS AND OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS, THE PRICE YOU MAY RECEIVE FOR YOUR SECURITIES IN SECONDARY MARKET TRANSACTIONS WOULD GENERALLY BE LOWER THAN BOTH THE ISSUE PRICE AND THE ISSUER’S ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE SECURITIES ON THE TRADE DATE — While the payment(s) on the securities described in this pricing supplement is based on the full Face Amount of securities, the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date (as disclosed on the cover of this pricing supplement) is less than the Issue Price of the securities. The Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date does not represent the price at which we or any of our affiliates would be willing to purchase your securities in the secondary market at any time. Assuming no changes in market conditions or our creditworthiness and other relevant factors, the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates would be willing to purchase the securities from you in secondary market transactions, if at all, would generally be lower than both the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date. Our purchase price, if any, in secondary market transactions would be based on the estimated value of the securities determined by reference to (i) the then-prevailing internal funding rate (adjusted by a spread) or another appropriate measure of our cost of funds and (ii) our pricing models at that time, less a bid spread determined after taking into account the size of the repurchase, the nature of the assets underlying the securities and then-prevailing market conditions. The price we report to financial reporting services and to distributors of our securities for use on customer account statements would generally be determined on the same basis. However, during the period of approximately six months beginning from the Trade Date, we or our affiliates may, in our sole discretion, increase the purchase price determined as described above by an amount equal to the declining differential between the Issue Price and the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date, prorated over such period on a straight-line basis, for transactions that are individually and in the aggregate of the expected size for ordinary secondary market repurchases. |
PS-13
In addition to the factors discussed above, the value of the securities and our purchase price in secondary market transactions after the Trade Date, if any, will vary based on many economic and market factors, including our creditworthiness, and cannot be predicted with accuracy. These changes may adversely affect the value of your securities, including the price you may receive in any secondary market transactions. Any sale prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you. The securities are not designed to be short-term trading instruments. Accordingly, you should be able and willing to hold your securities to maturity.
| · | THE SECURITIES WILL NOT BE LISTED AND THERE WILL LIKELY BE LIMITED LIQUIDITY — The securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. There may be little or no secondary market for the securities. We or our affiliates intend to act as market makers for the securities but are not required to do so and may cease such market making activities at any time. Even if there is a secondary market, it may not provide enough liquidity to allow you to sell the securities when you wish to do so or at a price advantageous to you. Because we do not expect other dealers to make a secondary market for the securities, the price at which you may be able to sell your securities is likely to depend on the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates are willing to buy the securities. If, at any time, we or our affiliates do not act as market makers, it is likely that there would be little or no secondary market in the securities. If you have to sell your securities prior to maturity, you may not be able to do so or you may have to sell them at a substantial loss, even in cases where the levels of the Underlyings have increased since the Trade Date. |
| · | MANY ECONOMIC AND MARKET FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — While we expect that, generally, the levels of the Underlyings will affect the value of the securities more than any other single factor, the value of the securities prior to maturity will also be affected by a number of other factors that may either offset or magnify each other, including: |
| · | whether the closing levels of both Underlyings on any Observation Date are greater than their respective Initial Levels; |
| · | the expected volatility of the Underlyings; |
| · | the time remaining to the maturity of the securities; |
| · | the market prices and dividend rates of the stocks composing the Underlyings; |
| · | the composition of the Underlyings; |
| · | interest rates and yields in the markets generally; |
| · | geopolitical conditions and economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect any of the Underlyings or the markets generally; |
| · | supply and demand for the securities; and |
| · | our creditworthiness, including actual or anticipated downgrades in our credit ratings. |
During the term of the securities, it is possible that their value may decline significantly due to the factors described above even if the levels of the Underlyings remain unchanged from their respective Initial Levels, and any sale prior to the Maturity Date could result in a substantial loss to you. You must hold the securities to maturity to receive the stated payout from the Issuer.
| · | TRADING AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS BY US OR OUR AFFILIATES IN THE EQUITY AND EQUITY DERIVATIVE MARKETS MAY IMPAIR THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — We or our affiliates expect to hedge our exposure from the securities by entering into equity and equity derivative transactions, such as over-the-counter options, futures or exchange-traded instruments. We or our affiliates may also engage in trading in instruments linked or related to the Underlyings on a regular basis as part of our or their general broker-dealer and other businesses, for proprietary accounts, for other accounts under management or to facilitate transactions for customers, including block transactions. Such trading and hedging activities may adversely affect the levels of one or both of the Underlyings and, therefore, make it less likely that you will receive a positive return on your investment in the securities. It is possible that we or our affiliates could receive substantial returns from these hedging and trading activities while the value of the securities declines. We or our affiliates may also issue or underwrite other securities or financial or derivative instruments with returns linked or related to the Underlyings. To the extent that we or our affiliates serve as issuer, agent or underwriter for such securities or financial or derivative instruments, our or our affiliates’ interests with respect to such products may be adverse to those of the holders of the securities. Introducing competing products into the marketplace in this manner could adversely affect the levels of one or both of the Underlyings and the value of the securities. Any of the foregoing activities |
PS-14
described in this paragraph may reflect trading strategies that differ from, or are in direct opposition to, investors’ trading and investment strategies related to the securities. Furthermore, because DBSI or one of its affiliates is expected to conduct trading and hedging activities for us in connection with the securities, DBSI or such affiliate may profit in connection with such trading and hedging activities and such profit, if any, will be in addition to any compensation that DBSI receives for the sale of the securities to you. You should be aware that the potential to earn a profit in connection with hedging activities may create a further incentive for DBSI to sell the securities to you in addition to any compensation they would receive for the sale of the securities.
| · | WE OR OUR AFFILIATES MAY PUBLISH RESEARCH, EXPRESS OPINIONS OR PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH INVESTING IN OR HOLDING THE SECURITIES. ANY SUCH RESEARCH, OPINIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE LEVELS OF THE UNDERLYINGS AND THE VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — We or our affiliates may publish research from time to time on financial markets and other matters that could adversely affect the levels of the Underlyings and the value of the securities, or express opinions or provide recommendations that are inconsistent with purchasing or holding the securities. Any research, opinions or recommendations expressed by us or our affiliates may not be consistent with each other and may be modified from time to time without notice. You should make your own independent investigation of the merits of investing in the securities and the Underlyings. |
| · | POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST — We and our affiliates play a variety of roles in connection with the issuance of the securities, including acting as calculation agent, hedging our obligations under the securities and determining the Issuer’s estimated value of the securities on the Trade Date and the price, if any, at which we or our affiliates would be willing to purchase the securities from you in secondary market transactions. In performing these roles, our economic interests and those of our affiliates are potentially adverse to your interests as an investor in the securities. The calculation agent will determine, among other things, all values, prices and levels required to be determined for the purposes of the securities on any relevant date or time. The calculation agent will also be responsible for determining whether a market disruption event has occurred. Any determination by the calculation agent could adversely affect the return on the securities. |
| · | THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES — There is no direct legal authority regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of the securities, and we do not plan to request a ruling from 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 financial contracts that are not debt, with associated contingent coupons, as described above under “Tax Consequences.” If the IRS were successful in asserting an alternative treatment for the securities, the tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the securities could be materially affected. In addition, as described above under “Tax Consequences,” in 2007 the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on various issues regarding the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments. Any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially affect the tax consequences of an investment in the securities, possibly with retroactive effect. You should review carefully the section of the accompanying product supplement entitled “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” and consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal tax consequences of an investment in the securities (including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by the 2007 notice), as well as tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction. |
PS-15
Historical Information
The following graphs set forth the historical performances of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P 500® Index based on their daily closing levels from August 30, 2011 through August 30, 2016. The closing level of the Russell 2000® Index on August 30, 2016 was 1,246.030. The closing level of the S&P 500® Index on August 30, 2016 was 2,176.12. The graphs below also indicate by a broken line a hypothetical Trigger Level equal to 50.00% of (i) with respect to the Russell 2000® Index, 1,246.030, which was the closing level of the Russell 2000® Index on August 30, 2016, and (ii) with respect to the S&P 500® Index, 2,176.12, which was the closing level of the S&P 500® Index on August 30, 2016. We obtained the historical closing levels of the Underlyings below from Bloomberg L.P. and we have not participated in the preparation of, or verified, such information.
The historical closing levels of the Underlyings should not be taken as an indication of future performance and no assurance can be given as to the closing levels of the Underlyings on any of the Observation Dates (including the Final Valuation Date). We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Underlyings will result in the return of any of your initial investment.
PS-16
Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)
DBSI, acting as agent for Deutsche Bank AG, will not receive a selling concession in connection with the sale of the securities. DBSI will pay custodial fees to other broker-dealers of up to 0.25% or $2.50 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities and a fee of up to 2.00% or $20.00 per $1,000 Face Amount of securities to CAIS Capital LLC with respect to the securities for which CAIS Capital LLC acts as introducing broker. Deutsche Bank AG will reimburse DBSI for such custodial fees and fee paid to CAIS Capital LLC.
DBSI, the agent for this offering, is our affiliate. Because DBSI is both our affiliate and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the underwriting arrangement for this offering must comply with the requirements of FINRA Rule 5121 regarding a FINRA member firm’s distribution of the securities of an affiliate and related conflicts of interest. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5121, DBSI may not make sales in offerings of the securities to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the customer. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying product supplement.
Settlement
We expect to deliver the securities against payment for the securities on the Settlement Date indicated above, which may be a date that is greater than three business days following the Trade Date. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to a trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, if the Settlement Date is more than three business days after the Trade Date, purchasers who wish to transact in the securities more than three business days prior to the Settlement Date will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
PS-17