FWP 1 gs-fwp.htm FWP gs-fwp.htm

Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 dated May 10, 2021

Registration Statement No. 333-253421

 

 

Buffered Russell 2000® Index-Linked Notes due

 

 

OVERVIEW

The notes do not bear interest. The amount that you will be paid on your notes on the stated maturity date is based on the performance of the Russell 2000® Index as measured from the trade date to and including the determination date.

If the final underlier level on the determination date is greater than the initial underlier level, the return on your notes will be positive and will equal the underlier return, subject to the maximum settlement amount. If the final underlier level declines by up to 15% from the initial underlier level, you will receive the face amount of your notes.

If the final underlier level declines by more than 15% from the initial underlier level, the return on your notes will be negative and you will lose approximately 1.1765% of the face amount of your notes for every 1% that the final underlier level has declined below 85% of the initial underlier level.    

You could lose a significant portion of the face amount of your notes.

You should read the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement dated May 10, 2021, which we refer to herein as the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, to better understand the terms and risks of your investment, including the credit risk of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

KEY TERMS

CUSIP / ISIN:

40057HBY5 / US40057HBY53

Company (Issuer):

GS Finance Corp.

Guarantor:

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Underlier:

the Russell 2000® Index (current Bloomberg symbol: “RTY Index”)

Payment amount at maturity (for each $1,000 face amount of your notes):

    if the underlier return is positive, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) $1,000 times (b) the underlier return, subject to the maximum settlement amount;

    if the underlier return is zero or negative but not below -15%, $1,000; or

    if the underlier return is negative and is below -15%, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) the buffer rate times (b) the sum of the underlier return plus 15% times (c) $1,000.

Initial underlier level:

to be determined on the trade date

Final underlier level:

the closing level of the underlier on the determination date

Cap level:

expected to be between 109.07% and 110.65% of the initial underlier level

Maximum settlement amount:

expected to be between $1,090.7 and $1,106.5

Participation rate:

100%

Underlier return:

the quotient of (i) the final underlier level minus the initial underlier level divided by (ii) the initial underlier level, expressed as a percentage

Buffer level:

85% of the initial underlier level

Buffer rate:

the quotient of the initial underlier level divided by the buffer level, which equals approximately 117.65%

Trade date:

 

Settlement date:

expected to be the fifth scheduled business day following the trade date

Determination date:

expected to be between 13 and 15 months following the trade date

Stated maturity date:

expected to be the second scheduled business day following the determination date

Estimated value range:

$940 to $970 (which is less than the original issue price; see accompanying preliminary pricing supplement)

 

Hypothetical Payment Amount At Maturity*

 

Hypothetical Final
Underlier Level
(as a % of the Initial Underlier Level)

Hypothetical Payment
Amount at Maturity
(as a % of Face Amount)

200.000%

109.070%

175.000%

109.070%

150.000%

109.070%

125.000%

109.070%

109.070%

109.070%

105.000%

105.000%

103.000%

103.000%

101.000%

101.000%

100.000%

100.000%

97.000%

100.000%

95.000%

100.000%

92.000%

100.000%

85.000%

100.000%

75.000%

88.235%

50.000%

58.824%

25.000%

29.412%

0.000%

0.000%

 

 

*assumes a cap level of 109.07% of the initial underlier level

 

 

This document does not provide all of the information that an investor should consider prior to making an investment decision. You should not invest in the notes without reading the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement and related documents for a more detailed description of the underlier, the terms of the notes and certain risks.


 

 

About Your Notes

GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 19, general terms supplement no. 2,012 and preliminary pricing supplement listed below) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 19, general terms supplement no. 2,012 and preliminary pricing supplement, and any other documents relating to this offering that GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at sec.gov. Alternatively, we will arrange to send you the prospectus, prospectus supplement, underlier supplement no. 19, general terms supplement no. 2,012 and preliminary pricing supplement if you so request by calling (212) 357-4612.

The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series F program of GS Finance Corp. and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This document should be read in conjunction with the following:


This document does not provide all of the information that an investor should consider prior to making an investment decision. You should not invest in the notes without reading the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement and related documents for a more detailed description of the underlier, the terms of the notes and certain risks.


 

 

 

RISK FACTORS

An investment in the notes is subject to risks. Many of the risks are described in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, accompanying general terms supplement no. 2,012, accompanying underlier supplement no. 19, accompanying prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Below we have provided a list of certain risk factors discussed in such documents. In addition to the below, you should read in full “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes” in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 2,012 and “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Securities” in the accompanying underlier supplement no. 19, as well as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus.

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement:

 

Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales

   The Estimated Value of Your Notes At the Time the Terms of Your Notes Are Set On the Trade Date (as Determined By Reference to Pricing Models Used By GS&Co.) Is Less Than the Original Issue Price Of Your Notes

   The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor

   The Amount Payable on Your Notes Is Not Linked to the Level of the Underlier at Any Time Other Than the Determination Date

   You May Lose Your Entire Investment in the Notes

   The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors

   Your Notes Do Not Bear Interest

   The Potential for the Value of Your Notes to Increase Will Be Limited

 

   You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Underlier Stock

   We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price

   If You Purchase Your Notes at a Premium to Face Amount, the Return on Your Investment Will Be Lower Than the Return on Notes Purchased at Face Amount and the Impact of Certain Key Terms of the Notes Will Be Negatively Affected

Risks Related to Tax

   The Tax Consequences of an Investment in Your Notes Are Uncertain

   Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding May Apply to Payments on Your Notes, Including as a Result of the Failure of the Bank or Broker Through Which You Hold the Notes to Provide Information to Tax Authorities

 

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 2,012:

 

Risks Related to Structure, Valuation and Secondary Market Sales

   If the Value of an Underlier Changes, the Market Value of Your Notes May Not Change in the Same Manner

   The Return on Your Notes Will Not Reflect Any Dividends Paid on Any Underlier, or Any Underlier Stock, as Applicable

   Past Performance is No Guide to Future Performance

   Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market

   The Calculation Agent Will Have the Authority to Make Determinations That Could Affect the Market Value of Your Notes, When Your Notes Mature and the Amount, If Any, Payable on Your Notes

   The Policies of an Underlier Sponsor, if Applicable, and Changes that Affect an Underlier to Which Your Notes are Linked, or the Constituent Indices or Underlier Stocks Comprising Such Underlier, Could Affect the Amount Payable on Your Notes and Their Market Value

   The Calculation Agent Can Postpone the Determination Date, Averaging Date, Call Observation Date or Coupon Observation Date If a Market Disruption Event or Non-Trading Day Occurs or Is Continuing

   The Offering of the Notes May Reduce an Existing Exposure of Goldman Sachs or Facilitate a Transaction or Position That Serves the Objectives of Goldman Sachs or Other Parties

   Except to the Extent That We or Our Affiliates May Currently or in the Future Own Securities of, or Engage in Business With, the Applicable Underlier Sponsor or the Underlier Stock Issuers, There Is No Affiliation Between the Underlier Stock Issuers or Any Underlier Sponsor and Us

Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest

   Other Investors in the Notes May Not Have the Same Interests as You

   Hedging Activities by Goldman Sachs or Our Distributors May Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes and Cause Our Interests and Those of Our Clients and Counterparties to be Contrary to Those of Investors in the Notes

   Goldman Sachs’ Trading and Investment Activities for its Own Account or for its Clients Could Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

   Goldman Sachs’ Market-Making Activities Could Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

   You Should Expect That Goldman Sachs Personnel Will Take Research Positions, or Otherwise Make Recommendations, Provide Investment Advice or Market Color or Encourage Trading Strategies That Might Negatively Impact Investors in the Notes

This document does not provide all of the information that an investor should consider prior to making an investment decision. You should not invest in the notes without reading the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement and related documents for a more detailed description of the underlier, the terms of the notes and certain risks.


 

   Goldman Sachs Regularly Provides Services to, or Otherwise Has Business Relationships with, a Broad Client Base, Which May Include the Sponsors of the Underlier or Underliers or Constituent Indices, As Applicable, the Investment Advisors of the Underlier or Underliers, As Applicable, or the Issuers of the Underlier Stocks or Other Entities That Are Involved in the Transaction

   The Offering of the Notes May Reduce an Existing Exposure of Goldman Sachs or Facilitate a Transaction or Position That Serves the Objectives of Goldman Sachs or Other Parties

Risks Related to Tax

   Certain Considerations for Insurance Companies and Employee Benefit Plans

 

 

 

The following risk factor is discussed in greater detail in the accompanying underlier supplement no. 19:

 

   Except to the Extent The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Is One of the Companies Whose Common Stock Comprises an Underlier, and Except to the Extent That We or Our Affiliates May Currently or in the Future Own

 

Securities of, or Engage in Business With, the Applicable Underlier Sponsor or the Underlier Stock Issuers, There Is No Affiliation Between the Underlier Stock Issuers

 

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying prospectus supplement:

 

   The Return on Indexed Notes May Be Below the Return on Similar Securities

   The Issuer of a Security or Currency That Serves as an Index Could Take Actions That May Adversely Affect an Indexed Note

   An Indexed Note May Be Linked to a Volatile Index, Which May Adversely Affect Your Investment

 

   An Index to Which a Note Is Linked Could Be Changed or Become Unavailable

   We May Engage in Hedging Activities that Could Adversely Affect an Indexed Note

   Information About an Index or Indices May Not Be Indicative of Future Performance

   We May Have Conflicts of Interest Regarding an Indexed Note

 

The following risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the accompanying prospectus:

 

Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements

   The application of regulatory resolution strategies could increase the risk of loss for holders of our securities in the event of the resolution of Group Inc.

 

   The application of Group Inc.’s proposed resolution strategy could result in greater losses for Group Inc.’s security holders.

 

 

This document does not provide all of the information that an investor should consider prior to making an investment decision. You should not invest in the notes without reading the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement and related documents for a more detailed description of the underlier, the terms of the notes and certain risks.