Risks
The risks below are not intended to be an exhaustive list of the risks associated with a particular CitiFirst Structured Investment offering. The structured investments discussed herein are not suitable for all investors. Prospective investors should evaluate their financial objectives and tolerance for risk prior to investing in any structured investment. Structured investments are not conventional debt securities. They are complex in nature and the specific terms and conditions will vary for each offering. Before you invest in any CitiFirst Structured investment you should thoroughly review the particular investment’s offering document(s) and related material(s) for a comprehensive description of the risks and considerations associated with the particular investment.
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Potential for Loss
- Principal protected investments only guarantee principal back at maturity (subject to the credit risk of the applicable issuer or guarantor) and thus if an investor sells or redeems his/her investment prior to maturity, the investor may receive an amount less than his/her original investment.
- Non-principal protected investments do not guarantee principal back at maturity and thus the amount an investor receives at maturity could be significantly less than his/her original investment and for some investments could be zero.
- Appreciation May Be Limited – Depending on the investment, an investor’s appreciation may be limited by a maximum amount payable or by the extent to which the return reflects the performance of the underlying asset or index.
- Issuer or Guarantor Credit Risk – All payments on CitiFirst Structured Investments are dependent on the applicable issuer’s or guarantor’s ability to pay all amounts due on these investments and therefore investors are subject to the credit risk of the applicable issuer or guarantor.
- Secondary Market – There may be little or no secondary market for a particular investment. If the applicable offering document(s) so specifies, the issuer may apply to list an investment on a securities exchange, but it is not possible to predict whether any investment will meet the listing requirements of that particular exchange, or if listed, whether any secondary market will exist.
- Resale Value of a CitiFirst Structured Investment May be Lower than Your Initial Investment – Due to, among other things, the changes in the price of and dividend yield on the underlying asset, interest rates, the earnings performance of the issuer of the underlying asset, the applicable issuer or guarantor of the CitiFirst Structured Investment’s perceived creditworthiness, the investment may trade, if at all, at prices below its initial issue price and an investor could receive substantially less than the amount of his/her initial investment upon any resale of the investment.
- Volatility of the Underlying Asset or Index – Depending on the investment, the amount you receive at maturity could depend on the price or value of the underlying asset or index during the term of the trade as well as where the price or value of the underlying asset or index is at maturity; thus, the volatility of the underlying asset or index, which is the term used to describe the size and frequency of market fluctuations in the price or value of the underlying asset or index, may result in an investor receiving an amount less than he/she would otherwise receive.
- Potential for Lower Comparable Yield – The effective yield on any investment may be less than that which would be payable on a conventional fixed-rate debt security of the same issuer with comparable maturity.
- Affiliate Research Reports and Commentary – Affiliates of the particular issuer may publish research reports or otherwise express opinions or provide recommendations from time to time regarding the underlying asset or index which may influence the price or value of the underlying asset or index and, therefore, the value of the investment. Further, any research, opinion or recommendation expressed within such research reports may not be consistent with purchasing, holding or selling the investment.
- The United States Federal Income Tax Consequences of Structured Investments are Uncertain – No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses the characterization of structured investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The tax treatment of a structured investment may be very different than that of its underlying asset. As a result, significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax consequences and treatment of an investment are not certain. The offering document(s) for each structured investment contains tax conclusions and discussions about the expected U.S. federal income tax consequences and treatment of the related structured investment. However, no ruling is being requested from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any structured investment and no assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service will agree with the tax conclusions and treatment expressed within the offering document(s) of a particular structured investment. Citigroup Inc., its affiliates, and employees do not provide tax or legal advice. Investors should consult with their own professional advisor(s) on such matters before investing in any structured investment.
- Fees and Conflicts – The issuer of a structured investment and its affiliates may play a variety of roles in connection with the investments, including acting as calculation agent and hedging the issuer’s obligations under the investment. In performing these duties, the economic interests of the calculation agent and other affiliates of the issuer may be adverse to the interest of the investor.