Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-219206
The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy
these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
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Subject to Completion. Dated September 10, 2018.
GS Finance Corp.
$
Autocallable Index-Linked Notes due
guaranteed by
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
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The amount that you will be paid on your notes at maturity, if they have
not been automatically called, is based on the performance of the lesser performing index (the index with the lowest index return). The index return for each index is
the percentage increase or decrease in the final level (the closing level of the index on the determination date, expected to be September 25, 2023) from its initial level.
At maturity, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, you will receive an amount in cash equal to:
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if the final level of each index is greater
than or equal to its initial level, $1,400;
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if the final level of each index is greater
than or equal to 65% of its initial level but the final level of any index
is less than its initial level, $1,000; or
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if the final level of any index is less
than 65% of its initial level, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii)
the product of (a) the lesser performing index return times (b) $1,000. You will receive less than 65% of the face amount of your notes.
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If the index return for any index is less
than -35%, the percentage of the face amount of your notes you will receive will be based on the performance of the index with the lowest index return. In such
event, you will receive less than 65% of the face amount of your
notes.
You should read the disclosure herein to better understand the terms and risks of your
investment, including the credit risk of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. See page PS-10.
The estimated value of your notes at the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date is expected to be between
$920 and $960 per $1,000 face amount. For a discussion of the estimated value and the price at which Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC would initially buy or sell your notes, if it makes a market in the notes, see the following page.
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Original issue date:
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expected to be September 25, 2018
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Original issue price:
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100% of the face amount
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Underwriting discount:
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% of the face amount*
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Net proceeds to the issuer:
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% of the face amount*
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*The original issue price will be % for certain investors. See “Summary Information — Key Terms — Supplemental plan of distribution; conflicts of interest” on
page PS-5.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or
disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The notes are
not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Pricing Supplement No. dated , 2018.
The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed above relate to the notes we sell initially. We may decide to sell additional notes
after the date of this pricing supplement, at issue prices and with underwriting discounts and net proceeds that differ from the amounts set forth above. The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will depend in part on
the issue price you pay for such notes.
GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other
affiliate of GS Finance Corp. may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless GS Finance Corp. or its
agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.
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Estimated Value of Your Notes
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 Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) and
taking into account our credit spreads) is expected to be between $920 and $960 per $1,000 face amount, which is less than the original issue price. The
value of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and cannot be predicted; however, the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask
spreads) at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and otherwise is equal to approximately the estimated value of your notes at the time of pricing, plus an additional
amount (initially equal to $ per $1,000 face amount).
Prior to , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask spreads) at which GS&Co. would
buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market, which it is not obligated to do) will equal approximately the sum of (a) the then-current estimated value of your notes (as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models) plus (b) any
remaining additional amount (the additional amount will decline to zero on a straight-line basis from the time of pricing through ). On and after , the price (not including GS&Co.’s customary bid and ask
spreads) at which GS&Co. would buy or sell your notes (if it makes a market) will equal approximately the then-current estimated value of your notes determined by reference to such pricing models.
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About Your Prospectus
The notes are part of the Medium-Term Notes, Series E program of GS Finance Corp., and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. This prospectus includes this pricing supplement and the accompanying documents listed below. This pricing supplement constitutes a supplement to the documents listed below and should be read in conjunction with
such documents:
The information in this pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting information in the documents listed above. In addition, some of the terms or features
described in the listed documents may not apply to your notes.
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We refer to the notes we are offering by this pricing supplement as the “offered notes” or the “notes”. Each of the
offered notes has the terms described below. Please note that in this pricing supplement, references to “GS Finance Corp.”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean only GS Finance Corp. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates,
references to “The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.”, our parent company, mean only The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and do not include its subsidiaries or affiliates and references to “Goldman Sachs” mean The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
together with its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, including us. Also, references to the “accompanying prospectus” mean the accompanying prospectus, dated July 10, 2017, references to the “accompanying prospectus
supplement” mean the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated July 10, 2017, for Medium-Term Notes, Series E, and references to the “accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734” mean the accompanying general terms supplement
no. 1,734, dated July 10, 2017, in each case of GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The notes will be issued under the senior debt indenture, dated as of October 10, 2008, as supplemented by the First Supplemental
Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2015, each among us, as issuer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. This indenture, as so supplemented and as further supplemented thereafter,
is referred to as the “GSFC 2008 indenture” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
This section is meant as a summary and should be read in conjunction with the section entitled “Supplemental
Terms of the Notes” on page S-16 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. Please note that certain features described in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 are not applicable to the notes. This
pricing supplement supersedes any conflicting provisions of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
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Key Terms
Issuer: GS Finance Corp.
Guarantor: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Underliers: the S&P 500® Index (Bloomberg
symbol, “SPX Index”), as published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, the NASDAQ-100 Index® (Bloomberg symbol, “NDX Index”) as published by Nasdaq, Inc., and the Russell 2000® Index (Bloomberg
symbol, “RTY Index”), as published by FTSE Russell; see “The Underliers” on page PS-15
Specified currency: U.S. dollars (“$”)
Face amount: each note will have a face amount equal to $1,000; $
in the aggregate for all the offered notes; the aggregate face amount of the offered notes may be increased if the issuer, at its sole option, decides to sell an additional amount of the offered notes on a date subsequent to the date of this
pricing supplement
Purchase at amount other than face amount: the amount
we will pay you for your notes on a call payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be, will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for your notes, so if you acquire notes at a premium (or discount) to face amount and hold them to a call payment date or the stated maturity date, it could affect your
investment in a number of ways. The return on your investment in such notes will be lower (or higher) than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount. See “Additional Risk
Factors Specific to Your Notes — 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” on
page PS-12 of this pricing supplement
Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax
consequences: you will be obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes — in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary — to characterize each note for all tax purposes as a
pre-paid derivative contract in respect of the underliers, as described under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” herein. Pursuant to this approach, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes, it would be reasonable for you to recognize capital gain or
loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time and your tax basis in your notes.
Automatic call feature: if, as measured on any call observation date, the closing level of
each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level, your notes will be automatically called; if your notes are
automatically called on any call observation date, on the corresponding call payment date you will receive the applicable amount specified in the
table set forth under “Call payment dates” below, which is an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of $1,000 times the applicable call
premium amount, and no further payments will be made since your notes will no longer be outstanding. If the closing level of any underlier is below its initial underlier level on a call observation date, the notes will not be automatically
called.
Cash settlement amount (on any call payment date): if your notes are
automatically called on a call observation date because the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, on the related call payment date, we will pay you the applicable amount
specified in the table set forth under “Call Payment Dates” below, which is an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of $1,000 times
the applicable call premium amount.
Cash settlement amount (on the stated maturity date): if your notes
are not automatically called, for each $1,000 face amount of your notes, we will pay you on the stated maturity date an amount in cash equal to:
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if the final underlier level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level,
(i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of $1,000 times the maturity date premium amount;
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if the final underlier level of each underlier is greater than or equal to 65% of its initial underlier
level but the final underlier level of any underlier is less than its initial underlier
level, $1,000; or
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if the final underlier level of any underlier is less than 65% of its initial underlier level, the sum of (i) $1,000 plus (ii) the product of (a) the lesser performing underlier return times (b) $1,000. You will receive less than 65% of the face
amount of your note
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Lesser performing underlier return: the underlier return of the lesser
performing underlier
Lesser performing underlier: the underlier with the lowest underlier
return
Call premium amount: with respect to any call payment date, the
applicable call premium amount specified in the table set forth under “Call payment dates” below
Maturity date premium amount: 40%
Initial underlier level (to be set on the trade date): with respect to
each underlier, the closing level of such underlier on the trade date
Final underlier level: with respect to each underlier, the closing level of such underlier on the determination date, except in the limited circumstances described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Consequences of a
Market Disruption Event or a Non-Trading Day” on page S-23 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and subject to adjustment as provided under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Discontinuance or Modification of an Underlier” on
page S-27 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Closing level: with respect to each underlier, as described under
“Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Closing Level” on page S-31 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Underlier return: with respect to each underlier, the quotient of (i) the final underlier level minus the initial underlier level divided by (ii) the initial underlier level, expressed as a positive or negative percentage
Defeasance: not applicable
No interest: the offered notes will not bear interest
No listing: the offered notes will not be listed or displayed on any
securities exchange or interdealer market quotation system
Business day: as described under “Supplemental Terms
of the Notes — Special Calculation Provisions — Business Day” on page S-30 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Trading day: as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes —
Special Calculation Provisions — Trading Day” on page S-31 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Trade date: expected to be September 20, 2018
Original issue date (settlement date) (to be set on the trade date): expected
to be September 25, 2018
Stated maturity date (to be set on the trade date): expected to be October 10, 2023,
subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Stated Maturity Date” on page S-16 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Determination date (to be set on the trade date): expected to be
September 25, 2023, subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Determination Date” on page S-16 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Call observation dates (to be set on the trade date): expected to be
the dates specified as such in the table set forth under “Call payment dates” below, subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Call Observation Dates” on page S-20 of the accompanying general terms supplement no.
1,734
Call payment dates (to be set on the trade date): expected to be the
tenth business day after each call observation date, which call payment dates are expected to be the dates specified in the table below, subject to adjustment as described under “Supplemental Terms of the Notes — Call Payment Dates” on page S-16
of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
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Call Observation Dates
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Call Payment Dates
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Call Premium Amount
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Amount Paid on the Applicable
Call Payment Date
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September 25, 2019
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October 9, 2019
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8%
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$1,080
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September 25, 2020
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October 9, 2020
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16%
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$1,160
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September 27, 2021
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October 12, 2021
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24%
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$1,240
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September 26, 2022
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October 11, 2022
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32%
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$1,320
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Use of proceeds and hedging: as described under “Use
of Proceeds” and “Hedging” on page S-92 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
ERISA: as described under “Employee Retirement Income
Security Act” on page S-95 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734
Supplemental plan of distribution; conflicts of interest: as
described under “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” on page S-96 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734 and “Plan of Distribution — Conflicts of Interest” on page 98 of the accompanying prospectus; GS Finance Corp. estimates that
its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $ .
GS Finance Corp. expects to agree to sell to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”), and GS&Co. expects to agree to
purchase from GS Finance Corp., the aggregate face amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this pricing supplement. GS&Co. proposes initially to offer the notes to the public at the original issue price set forth on the
cover page of this pricing supplement, and to certain securities dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of % of the face amount. The original issue price for notes purchased by certain retirement accounts and certain
fee-based advisory accounts will be % of the face amount of the notes, which will reduce the underwriting discount specified on the cover of this pricing supplement with respect to such notes to %. GS&Co. is an affiliate of GS
Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes
will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. GS&Co. will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of
the account holder.
We expect to deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on September 25, 2018. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date
prior to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
We have been advised by GS&Co. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither GS&Co. nor any of our other affiliates that
makes a market is obligated to do so and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.
Calculation agent: GS&Co.
CUSIP no.: 40055QYV8
ISIN no.: US40055QYV84
FDIC: the notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank
The following examples are provided for purposes of illustration only. They should not be taken as an indication
or prediction of future investment results and are intended merely to illustrate (i) the impact that various hypothetical closing levels of the underliers on a call observation date and on the determination date could have on the cash settlement
amount on a call payment date or on the stated maturity date, as the case may be, assuming all other variables remain constant.
The examples below are based on a range of underlier levels that are entirely hypothetical; no one can predict
what the underlier level of any underlier will be on any day throughout the life of your notes, what the closing level of any underlier will be on any call observation date and what the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier
will be on the determination date. The underliers have been highly volatile in the past — meaning that the underlier levels have changed substantially in relatively short periods — and their performance cannot be predicted for any future period.
The information in the following examples reflects hypothetical rates of return on the offered notes assuming
that they are purchased on the original issue date at the face amount and held to a call payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be. If you sell your notes in a secondary market prior to a call payment date or the stated
maturity date, as the case may be, your return will depend upon the market value of your notes at the time of sale, which may be affected by a number of factors that are not reflected in the examples below such as interest rates, the volatility
of the underliers, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, and the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor. In addition, 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. For more information on the estimated value of your notes, see “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes —
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” on page PS-10 of this pricing
supplement. The information in the examples also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.
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Key Terms and Assumptions
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Face amount
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$1,000
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Call premium amount
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The applicable call premium amount for each call payment date is specified on page PS-5 of this pricing supplement
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Maturity date premium amount
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40%
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The notes are not automatically called, unless otherwise indicated below
Neither a market disruption event nor a non-trading day occurs on any originally scheduled call observation date or the originally scheduled
determination date
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No change in or affecting any of the underlier stocks or the method by which the applicable underlier sponsor calculates any underlier
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Notes purchased on original issue date at the face amount and held to a call payment date or the stated maturity date
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Moreover, we have not yet set the initial underlier levels that will serve as the baseline for determining the
amount that we will pay on your notes, if any, on a call payment date or at maturity. We will not do so until the trade date. As a result, the actual initial underlier levels may differ substantially from the underlier levels prior to the trade
date. They may also differ substantially from the underlier levels at the time you purchase your notes.
For these reasons, the actual performance of the underliers over the life of your notes, as well as the amount
payable on a call payment date or at maturity, if any, may bear little relation to the hypothetical examples shown below or to the historical underlier levels shown elsewhere in this pricing supplement. For information about the underlier levels
during recent periods, see “The Underliers — Historical Closing Levels of the Underliers” on page PS-15. Before investing in the notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the underlier levels between the date of this
pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the notes.
Also, the hypothetical examples shown below do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes. Because of the U.S. tax treatment applicable
to your notes, tax liabilities could affect the after-tax rate of return on your notes to a comparatively greater extent than the after-tax return on the underlier stocks.
Hypothetical Payment on a Call Payment Date
The examples below show hypothetical payments that we would pay on a call payment date with respect to each $1,000 face amount of
the notes if the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level on the applicable call observation date. While there are four potential call payment dates with respect to your notes, the examples below
only illustrate the amount you will receive, if any, on the first and second call payment date.
If your notes are automatically called on the first call
observation date (i.e., on the first call observation date the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level), the cash settlement amount that we would deliver for each $1,000 face amount of your notes on the applicable call payment date would be the sum of $1,000 plus the product of the applicable call premium amount times $1,000. If, for example, the closing level of each underlier was determined to be 120% of its
initial underlier level, your notes would be automatically called and the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes on the corresponding call payment date would be 108% of the face amount of your notes or $1,080 for each $1,000
of the face amount of your notes.
If the notes are not automatically called on the first
call observation date and are automatically called on the second call observation date (i.e., on the first call observation date the closing level of any underlier is less than its initial underlier level, and on the second call observation date the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level), the cash settlement amount that we would deliver for each $1,000 face amount of your notes on the applicable call payment date would
be the sum of $1,000 plus the product of the applicable call premium amount times $1,000. If, for example, the closing level of each underlier was determined to be
130% of its initial underlier level, your notes would be automatically called and the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes on the corresponding call payment date would be 116% of the face amount of your notes or $1,160 for
each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes.
Hypothetical Payment at Maturity
If the notes are not automatically called on any call observation date (i.e., on each call observation date the closing level of any
underlier is less than its initial underlier level), the cash settlement amount we would deliver for each $1,000 face amount of your notes on the stated maturity date
will depend on the performance of the lesser performing underlier on the determination date, as shown in the table below. The table below assumes that the notes have not been automatically called on a call observation date and reflects hypothetical cash
settlement amounts that you could receive on the stated maturity date.
The levels in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical final underlier levels of the lesser performing underlier and are expressed
as percentages of the initial underlier level of the lesser performing underlier. The amounts in the right column represent the hypothetical cash settlement amounts, based on the corresponding hypothetical final underlier level of the lesser
performing underlier (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level of the lesser performing underlier), and are expressed as percentages of the face amount of a note (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of a percent). Thus, a
hypothetical cash settlement amount of 100.000% means that the value of the cash payment that we would deliver for each $1,000 of the outstanding face amount of the offered notes on the stated maturity date would equal 100.000% of the face amount
of a note, based on the corresponding hypothetical final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier (expressed as a percentage of the initial underlier level of the lesser performing underlier) and the assumptions noted above.
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The Notes Have Not Been Automatically Called
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Hypothetical Final Underlier Level of the
Lesser Performing Underlier
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Hypothetical Cash Settlement Amount
at Maturity if the Notes Have Not Been
Automatically Called on a Call
Observation Date
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(as Percentage of Initial Underlier Level)
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(as Percentage of Face Amount)
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175.000%
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140.000%
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150.000%
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140.000%
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125.000%
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140.000%
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110.000%
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140.000%
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100.000%
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140.000%
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99.999%
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100.000%
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90.000%
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100.000%
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80.000%
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100.000%
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75.000%
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100.000%
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65.000%
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100.000%
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64.999%
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64.999%
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30.000%
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30.000%
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25.000%
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25.000%
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10.000%
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10.000%
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0.000%
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0.000%
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If, for example, the notes have not been automatically called on a call
observation date and the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier were determined to be 25.000% of its initial underlier level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 25.000% of the
face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you purchased your notes on the original issue date at the face amount and held them to the stated maturity date, you would lose 75.000% of your investment (if you purchased
your notes at a premium to face amount you would lose a correspondingly higher percentage of your investment). If the notes have not been automatically called on a call observation date and the final underlier level of the lesser performing
underlier were determined to be 80.000% of its initial underlier level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be 100.000% of the face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. In addition, if
the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier were determined to be 175.000% of its initial underlier level, the cash settlement amount that we would deliver on your notes at maturity would be limited to 140.000% of each $1,000
face amount of your notes, as shown in the table above. As a result, if you held your notes to the stated maturity date, the cash settlement amount will be capped, and you would not benefit from any increase in the final underlier level over the
initial underlier level.
The cash settlement amounts shown above are entirely hypothetical; they are based on market prices for the
underlier stocks that may not be achieved on the determination date and on assumptions that may prove to be erroneous. The actual market value of your notes on the stated maturity date or at any other time, including any time you may wish to
sell your notes, may bear little relation to the hypothetical cash settlement amounts shown above, and these amounts should not be viewed as an indication of the financial return on an investment in the offered notes. The hypothetical cash
settlement amounts on notes held to the stated maturity date in the examples above assume you purchased your notes at their face amount and have not been adjusted to reflect the actual issue price you pay for your notes. The return on your
investment (whether positive or negative) in your notes will be affected by the amount you pay for your notes. If you purchase your notes for a price other than the face amount, the return on your investment will differ from, and may be
significantly lower than, the hypothetical returns suggested by the above examples. Please read “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-3 of the
accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
Payments on the notes are economically equivalent to the amounts that would be paid on a combination of other instruments. For example, payments on
the notes are economically equivalent to a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought by the holder and one or more options entered into between the holder and us (with one or more implicit option premiums paid over time). The discussion in
this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this pricing supplement.
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We cannot predict the actual closing levels of the underliers on any day, the final underlier levels or what the market
value of your notes will be on any particular trading day, nor can we predict the relationship between the closing levels of the underliers and the market value of your notes at any time prior to the stated maturity date. The actual
amount that you will receive on a call payment date or the stated maturity date, if any, and the rate of return on the offered notes will depend on whether or not the notes are automatically called and the actual initial underlier levels,
which we will set on the trade date, and on the actual closing levels of the underliers on the call observation dates and the actual final underlier levels determined by the calculation agent as described above. Moreover, the assumptions
on which the hypothetical examples are based may turn out to be inaccurate. Consequently, the cash amount to be paid in respect of your notes on a call payment date or the stated maturity date, as applicable, may be very different from
the information reflected in the examples above.
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An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well
as the risks and considerations described in the accompanying prospectus, in the accompanying prospectus supplement and under “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
You should carefully review these risks and considerations as well as the terms of the notes described herein and in the accompanying prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying general terms supplement
no. 1,734. Your notes are a riskier investment than ordinary debt securities. Also, your notes are not equivalent to investing directly in the underlier stocks, i.e., with respect to an underlier to which your notes are linked, the
stocks comprising such underlier. You should carefully consider whether the offered notes are suited to your particular circumstances.
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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 original issue price for your notes exceeds the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of
your notes are set on the trade date, as determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models and taking into account our credit spreads. Such estimated value on the trade date is set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”; after the
trade date, the estimated value as determined by reference to these models will be affected by changes in market conditions, the creditworthiness of GS Finance Corp., as issuer, the creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor,
and other relevant factors. The price at which GS&Co. would initially buy or sell your notes (if GS&Co. makes a market, which it is not obligated to do), and the value that GS&Co. will initially use for account statements and
otherwise, also exceeds the estimated value of your notes as determined by reference to these models. As agreed by GS&Co. and the distribution participants, this excess (i.e., the additional amount described under “Estimated Value of Your
Notes”) will decline to zero on a straight line basis over the period from the date hereof through the applicable date set forth above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”. Thereafter, if GS&Co. buys or sells your notes it will do so at
prices that reflect the estimated value determined by reference to such pricing models at that time. The price at which GS&Co. will buy or sell your notes at any time also will reflect its then current bid and ask spread for similar sized
trades of structured notes.
In estimating the value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the trade date, as
disclosed above under “Estimated Value of Your Notes”, GS&Co.’s pricing models consider certain variables, including principally our credit spreads, interest rates (forecasted, current
and historical rates), volatility, price-sensitivity analysis and the time to maturity of the notes. These pricing models are proprietary and rely in part on certain assumptions about future events, which may prove to be incorrect. As a result,
the actual value you would receive if you sold your notes in the secondary market, if any, to others may differ, perhaps materially, from the estimated value of your notes determined by reference to our models due to, among other things, any
differences in pricing models or assumptions used by others. See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes — The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” on page S-3 of the accompanying general terms
supplement no. 1,734.
The difference between the estimated value of your notes as of the time the terms of your notes are set on the
trade date and the original issue price is a result of certain factors, including principally the underwriting discount and commissions, the expenses incurred in creating, documenting and marketing the notes, and an estimate of the difference
between the amounts we pay to GS&Co. and the amounts GS&Co. pays to us in connection with your notes. We pay to GS&Co. amounts based on what we would pay to holders of a non-structured note with a similar maturity. In return for such
payment, GS&Co. pays to us the amounts we owe under your notes.
In addition to the factors discussed above, the value and quoted price of your notes at any time will reflect many factors and
cannot be predicted. If GS&Co. makes a market in the notes, the price quoted by GS&Co. would reflect any changes in market conditions and other relevant factors, including any deterioration in our creditworthiness or perceived
creditworthiness or the creditworthiness or perceived creditworthiness of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. These changes may adversely affect the value of your
notes, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. To the extent that GS&Co. makes a
market in the notes, the quoted price will reflect the estimated value determined by reference to GS&Co.’s pricing models at that time, plus or minus its then current bid and ask
spread for similar sized trades of structured notes (and subject to the declining excess amount described above).
Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions,
or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount. This commission or discount will further reduce the proceeds you would receive for your notes in a secondary market sale.
There is no assurance that GS&Co. or any other party will be willing to purchase your notes at any price
and, in this regard, GS&Co. is not obligated to make a market in the notes. See “— Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market” below.
The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer and the Guarantor
Although the return on the notes will be based on the performance of each underlier, the payment of any amount
due on the notes is subject to the credit risk of GS Finance Corp., as issuer of the notes, and the credit risk of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., as guarantor of the notes . The notes are our unsecured obligations. Investors are dependent on our
ability to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore investors are subject to our credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of our creditworthiness. Similarly, investors are dependent on the ability of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.,
as guarantor of the notes, to pay all amounts due on the notes, and therefore are also subject to its credit risk and to changes in the market’s view of its creditworthiness. See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our
Medium-Term Notes, Series E Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-4 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer— Guarantee by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.” on page 42 of the
accompanying prospectus.
You May Lose Your Entire Investment in the Notes
You can lose your entire investment in the notes. Assuming your notes are not automatically called, the cash
settlement amount on your notes, if any, on the stated maturity date will be based on the performance of the lesser performing of the S&P 500® Index, the
NASDAQ-100 Index® and the Russell 2000® Index, in
each case as measured from their initial underlier levels (set on the trade date) to their closing levels on the determination date. If
the underlier return of any underlier is less than -35%, you will have a loss for each $1,000 of the
face amount of your notes equal to the product of the lesser performing underlier return times
$1,000. Thus, you may lose your entire investment in the notes, which would include any premium to face amount you paid when you purchased the notes.
Also, the market price of your notes prior to a call
payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be, may be significantly lower than the purchase price you pay for your notes. Consequently, if you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, you may receive far less than the
amount of your investment in the notes.
The Cash Settlement Amount You Will Receive on a Call Payment Date or on the Stated Maturity Date, as the Case May Be, Will Be
Capped
Regardless of the closing levels of the underliers on each of the call observation dates, the cash settlement
amount you may receive on a call payment date is capped. Even if the closing level of each underlier on a call observation date exceeds its initial underlier level, causing the notes to be automatically called on such day, the cash settlement
amount on the call payment date will be capped, and you will not benefit from any increase in the closing level of any underlier above the initial underlier level on a call observation date. If your notes are automatically called on a call
observation date, the maximum payment you will receive for each $1,000 face amount of your notes will depend on the applicable call premium amount. In addition, the cash settlement amount you may receive on the stated maturity date is capped.
Your Notes Are Subject to Automatic Redemption
We will automatically call and redeem all, but not part, of your notes on the corresponding call payment date if, as measured on any call observation
date, the closing level of each underlier is greater than or equal to its initial underlier level. Therefore, the term for your notes may be reduced to approximately one year after the original issue date. You may not be able to reinvest the
proceeds from an investment in the notes
at a comparable return for a similar level of risk in the event the notes are automatically called prior to maturity.
The Cash Settlement Amount You Will Receive on a Call Payment Date or on the Stated Maturity Date is Not Linked to the Closing
Level of the Underliers at Any Time Other Than on the Applicable Call Observation Date or on the Determination Date, as the Case May Be
The cash settlement amount you will receive on a call payment date, if any, will be paid only if the closing
level of each underlier on the applicable call observation date is equal to or greater than its initial underlier level. Therefore, the closing levels of the underliers on dates other than the call observation dates will have no effect on any
cash settlement amount paid in respect of your notes on the call payment date. In addition, the cash settlement amount you will receive on the stated maturity date, if any, will be based on the closing level of the underliers on the
determination date (which is subject to postponement in case of market disruption events or non-trading days), and therefore not the simple performance of the underliers over the life of your notes. Therefore, if the closing level of the
underliers dropped precipitously on the determination date, the cash settlement amount for your notes may be significantly less than it would have been had the cash settlement amount been linked to the closing level of the underliers prior to
such drop in the level of the underliers.
The Cash Settlement Amount Will Be Based Solely on the Lesser Performing Underlier
If the notes are not automatically called, the cash settlement amount will be based on the lesser performing
underlier without regard to the performance of the other underlier. As a result, you could lose all or some of your initial investment if the lesser performing underlier return is negative, even if there is an increase in the level of the other
underlier. This could be the case even if the other underlier increased by an amount greater than the decrease in the lesser performing underlier.
Your Notes Will Not Bear Interest
You will not receive any interest payments on your notes. As a result, even if the cash settlement amount
payable for your notes on a call payment date or the stated maturity date, as applicable, exceeds the face amount of your notes, the overall return you earn on your notes may be less than you would have earned by investing in a non-indexed debt
security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing market rate.
The Return on Your Notes May Change Significantly Despite Only a Small Change in the Final Underlier Level of
the Lesser Performing Underlier
If the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier is less than 65% of its initial underlier level,
you will receive less than the face amount of your notes and you could lose all or a substantial portion of your investment in the notes. This means that while a 35% drop between the initial underlier level of the lesser performing underlier and
its final underlier level will not result in a loss of principal on the notes, a decrease in the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier to less than 65% of its initial underlier level will result in a loss of a significant
portion of your investment in the notes despite only a small change in the final underlier level of the lesser performing underlier.
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
The cash settlement amount you will be paid for your notes on the stated maturity date, if any, or the amount you will be paid
on a call payment date will not be adjusted based on the issue price you pay for the notes. If you purchase notes at a price that differs from the face amount of the notes, then the return on your investment in such notes held to a call payment
date or the stated maturity date will differ from, and may be substantially less than, the return on notes purchased at face amount. If you purchase your notes at a premium to face amount and hold them to a call payment date or the stated
maturity date, the return on your investment in the notes will be lower than it would have been had you purchased the notes at face amount or a discount to face amount.
Your Notes May Not Have an Active Trading Market
Your notes will not be listed or displayed on any securities exchange or included in any interdealer market
quotation system, and there may be little or no secondary market for your notes. Even if a secondary market for your notes develops, it may not provide significant liquidity and we expect that transaction costs in any secondary market would be
high. As a result, the difference between bid and asked prices for your notes in any secondary market could be substantial.
We May Sell an Additional Aggregate Face Amount of the Notes at a Different Issue Price
At our sole option, we may decide to sell an additional aggregate face amount of the notes subsequent to the
date of this pricing supplement. The issue price of the notes in the subsequent sale may differ substantially (higher or lower) from the issue price you paid as provided on the cover of this pricing supplement.
You Have No Shareholder Rights or Rights to Receive Any Underlier Stock
Investing in your notes will not make you a holder of any of the underlier stocks. Neither you nor any other
holder or owner of your notes will have any rights with respect to the underlier stocks, including any voting rights, any right to receive dividends or other distributions, any rights to make a claim against the underlier stocks or any other
rights of a holder of the underlier stocks. Your notes will be paid in cash and you will have no right to receive delivery of any underlier stocks.
As Compared to Other Index Sponsors, Nasdaq, Inc.
Retains Significant Control and Discretionary Decision-Making Over the NASDAQ-100® Index, Which May Have an Adverse Effect on the Level of the Underlier and on Your Notes
Pursuant to the underlier methodology, Nasdaq, Inc. retains the right,
from time to time, to exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order to ensure underlier integrity, including, but not limited to, changes to quantitative inclusion criteria. Nasdaq, Inc. may also, due to special circumstances, apply discretionary adjustments to ensure and maintain quality of the NASDAQ-100® Index. Although it is unclear how and to what extent this discretion could
or would be exercised, it is possible that it could be exercised by Nasdaq, Inc. in a manner that materially and adversely affects the level of the NASDAQ-100®
Index and therefore your notes. Nasdaq, Inc. is not obligated to, and will not, take account of your interests in exercising the discretion described above.
An Investment in the Offered Notes Is Subject to Risks Associated with Foreign Securities
The value of your notes is linked to an underlier that is comprised, in part, of stocks from one or more foreign securities
markets. Investments linked to the value of foreign equity securities involve particular risks. Any foreign securities market may be less liquid, more volatile and affected by global or domestic market developments in a different way than are the
U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Both government intervention in a foreign securities market, either directly or indirectly, and cross-shareholdings in foreign companies, may affect trading prices and volumes in that
market. Also, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than about those U.S. companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further, foreign companies
are subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements that differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
The prices of securities in a foreign country are subject to political, economic, financial and social factors that are unique
to such foreign country's geographical region. These factors include: recent changes, or the possibility of future changes, in the applicable foreign government's economic and fiscal policies; the possible implementation of, or changes in,
currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to foreign companies or investments in foreign equity securities; fluctuations, or the possibility of fluctuations, in currency exchange rates; and the possibility of outbreaks of
hostility, political instability, natural disaster or adverse public health developments. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union (popularly known as “Brexit”). The effect of Brexit is uncertain, and Brexit has and may continue
to contribute to volatility in the prices of securities of companies located in Europe and currency exchange rates, including the valuation of the euro and British pound in particular. Any one of these factors, or the combination of more than one
of these factors, could negatively affect such foreign securities market and the price of securities therein. Further, geographical regions may react to global factors in different
ways, which may cause the prices of securities in a foreign securities market to fluctuate in a way that differs from those of
securities in the U.S. securities market or other foreign securities markets. Foreign economies may also differ from the U.S. economy in important respects, including growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment,
resources and self-sufficiency, which may have a positive or negative effect on foreign securities prices.
The Tax Consequences of an Investment in Your Notes Are Uncertain
The tax consequences of an investment in your notes are uncertain, both as to the timing and character of any
inclusion in income in respect of your notes.
The Internal Revenue Service announced on December 7, 2007 that it is considering issuing guidance regarding the
tax treatment of an instrument such as your notes, and any such guidance could adversely affect the value and the tax treatment of your notes. Among other things, the Internal Revenue Service may decide to require the holders to accrue ordinary
income on a current basis and recognize ordinary income on payment at maturity, and could subject non-U.S. investors to withholding tax. Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders
that acquired instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict
whether a similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes. We describe these developments in more detail under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences – United States Holders – Possible Change in Law” below. You should consult your tax advisor about this matter. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, GS Finance Corp. intends to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal
income tax purposes in accordance with the treatment described under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” on page PS-30 below unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue
Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. Please also consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences to you of owning your notes in your particular circumstances.
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
Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
(FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of FATCA to payments made on your notes.
The S&P 500® Index
The S&P 500® Index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in
leading industries of the U.S. economy. The S&P 500® Index is calculated, maintained and published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P”).
As of July 31, 2017, companies with multiple share class lines are no longer eligible for inclusion in the
S&P 500® Index. Constituents of the S&P 500® Index prior to July 31, 2017 with multiple share class lines will be grandfathered in and continue to be included in the S&P 500®
Index. If an S&P 500® Index constituent reorganizes into a multiple share class line structure, that company will be reviewed for continued inclusion in the S&P 500® Index at the discretion
of the S&P Index Committee. Also as of July 31, 2017, the criteria employed by S&P for purposes of making additions to the S&P 500® Index were changed as follows:
● with respect to the “U.S. company” criterion, (i) the IEX was added as an “eligible exchange” for the primary listing of the relevant company’s common stock and (ii) the former “corporate governance
structure consistent with U.S. practice” requirement was removed; and
● with respect to constituents of the S&P MidCap 400® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index that are being considered for addition to the S&P
500® Index, the financial viability, public float and/or liquidity eligibility criteria no longer need to be met if the S&P Index Committee decides that such an addition will enhance the representativeness of the
S&P 500® Index as a market benchmark.
As of September 4, 2018, the 500 companies included in the S&P 500® Index were divided into eleven
Global Industry Classification Sectors. The Global Industry Classification Sectors include (with the approximate percentage currently included in such sectors indicated in parentheses): Consumer Discretionary (12.97%), Consumer Staples (6.70%),
Energy (5.85%), Financials (13.89%), Health Care (14.54%), Industrials (9.62%), Information Technology (26.49%), Materials (2.48%), Real Estate (2.71%), Telecommunication Services (1.92%) and Utilities (2.85%). (Sector designations are determined
by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one
sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of
the indices.) S&P and MSCI, Inc. have announced that the Global Industry Classification Sector structure is expected to be updated after the close of business on September 28, 2018. Among other things, the update is expected to broaden the
current Telecommunications Services sector and rename it the Communication Services sector. The renamed sector is expected to include the existing Telecommunication Services Industry group, as well as the Media Industry group, which is expected
to move from the Consumer Discretionary sector and be renamed the Media & Entertainment Industry group. The Media & Entertainment Industry group is expected to contain three industries: Media, Entertainment and Interactive Media &
Services. The Media industry is expected to continue to consist of the Advertising, Broadcasting, Cable & Satellite and Publishing sub-industries. The Entertainment industry is expected to contain the Movies & Entertainment sub-industry
(which is expected to include online entertainment streaming companies in addition to companies currently classified in such industry) and the Interactive Home Entertainment sub-industry (which is expected to include companies from the current
Home Entertainment Software sub-industry in the Information Technology sector, as well as producers of mobile gaming applications). The Interactive Media & Services industry and sub-industry is expected to include companies engaged in content
and information creation or distribution through proprietary platforms, where revenues are derived primarily through pay-per-click advertisements, and will include search engines, social media and networking platforms, online classifieds and
online review companies.
The above information supplements the description of the underlier found in the accompanying general terms
supplement no. 1,734. This information was derived from information prepared by the underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the underlier sponsor’s website
due to subsequent corporation actions or other activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the underlier, the underlier sponsor and license agreement between the underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — S&P
500® Index” on page S-40 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
The S&P 500® Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been
licensed for use by GS Finance Corp. (“Goldman”). Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones® is
a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes by Goldman. Goldman’s notes are not sponsored,
endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates and neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, Standard & Poor’s Financial
Services LLC or any of their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such notes.
The NASDAQ-100 Index®
The NASDAQ-100 Index® includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial stocks listed
on The NASDAQ Stock Market based on market capitalization. The NASDAQ-100 Index® is a “price return” index and is calculated using a modified market capitalization-weighted methodology. The NASDAQ-100 Index®
is calculated, maintained and published by Nasdaq, Inc. The base date for the NASDAQ-100 Index® is January 31, 1985, with a base value of 125.00, as adjusted. We have derived all information contained in this document
regarding the NASDAQ-100 Index® from publicly available information. Additional information about the NASDAQ-100 Index® is available on the following website:
indexes.nasdaqomx.com/Index/Overview/NDX. We are not incorporating by reference the website or any material it includes in this pricing supplement.
As of September 7, 2018, the 103 stocks included in the NASDAQ-100 Index® were classified into ten
industry sectors (with the approximate percentage currently included in such sectors indicated in parentheses): Technology (55.24%), Consumer Services (24.61%), Health Care (9.13%), Consumer Goods (5.70%), Industrials (4.56%), Telecommunications
(0.75%), Oil & Gas (0.00%), Basic Materials (0.00%), Utilities (0.00%) and Financials (0.00%). (Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different
standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between
indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.)
The top ten constituent stocks of the NASDAQ-100 Index® as of September 7, 2018, by weight, are: Apple
Inc. (12.96%), Amazon.com Inc. (11.05%), Microsoft Corporation (9.70%), Alphabet Inc. Class C (4.74%), Facebook, Inc. (4.56%), Alphabet Inc. Class A (4.10%), Cisco Systems Inc. (2.58%), Intel Corporation (2.53%), Comcast Corporation (1.94%) and
NVIDIA Corporation. (1.93%).
Index Stocks With Weights Equal to or in Excess of 5% of the NASDAQ-100 Index® as of September 6, 2018
Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corporation are registered under the Exchange Act. Companies with stocks registered under the Exchange Act
are required to file financial and other information specified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) periodically. Information filed with the SEC can be inspected and copied at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, information filed by the applicable index stock issuer with the
SEC electronically can be reviewed through a web site maintained by the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is sec.gov. Information filed with the SEC by the
applicable index stock issuer under the Exchange Act can be located by referencing its SEC file number specified below.
The graphs below, except where otherwise indicated, show the daily historical closing prices of Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and
Microsoft Corporation, the constituent stocks comprising 5% or more of the NASDAQ-100 Index®, from September 7, 2008 through September 7, 2018. We obtained the prices in the graphs below using data from Bloomberg Financial
Services, without independent verification. We have taken the descriptions of the index stock issuers set forth below from publicly available information without independent verification.
According to publicly available information, Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets mobile communication and media
devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. Information filed with the SEC by the index
stock issuer under the Exchange Act can be located by referencing SEC file number 001-36743 for filings on or after November 12, 2014 and SEC file number 000-10030 for filings prior to November 12, 2014.
Historical Performance of Apple Inc.
According to publicly available information, Amazon.com Inc. is an e-commerce company. Information filed with the SEC by the
index stock issuer under the Exchange Act can be located by referencing SEC file number 000-22513.
Historical Performance of Amazon.com Inc.
According to publicly available information, Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses and supports software products, services
and devices and designs and sells hardware devices. Information filed with the SEC by the index stock issuer under the Exchange Act can be located by referencing SEC file number 001-37845 for filings on or after July 26, 2016 and SEC file number
000-14278 for filings prior to July 26, 2016.
Historical Performance of Microsoft Corporation
The NASDAQ-100 Index® is a modified market capitalization-weighted index. Except under extraordinary
circumstances that may result in an interim evaluation, NASDAQ-100 Index® composition is reviewed on an annual basis in December. First, Nasdaq, Inc. determines which stocks meet the applicable eligibility criteria.
Selection Criteria for Initial Inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®
To be eligible for initial inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®, a stock must meet the following criteria:
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the issuer of the stock’s primary U.S. listing must be exclusively listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or the NASDAQ Global Market (unless the stock was dually listed on
another U.S. market prior to January 1, 2004 and has continuously maintained such listing);
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the stock must be issued by a non-financial company. Non-financial companies are those companies that are classified under any Industry Code except 8000 according to the Industry
Classification Benchmark (ICB), a product of FTSE International Limited;
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the stock may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;
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the stock must have a minimum three-month average daily trading volume (“ADTV”) of 200,000 shares (measured annually during the ranking review process). The ADTV is determined by
calculating the average of the sum product of the stock’s daily trading volume for each day during the previous three month period;
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if the issuer of the stock is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such stock must have listed options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be
eligible for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the U.S. (measured annually during the ranking review process);
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the issuer of the stock may not have entered into a definitive agreement or other arrangement which would likely result in the stock no longer being eligible for inclusion in the
NASDAQ-100 Index®;
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the issuer of the stock may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn. This will be determined based upon a stock issuer’s public filings
with the SEC; and
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the stock must have “seasoned” on Nasdaq, NYSE or NYSE Amex. Generally, a company is considered to be seasoned if it has been listed on a market for at least three full months
(excluding the first month of initial listing).
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Stock types generally eligible for inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index® are common stocks, ordinary
shares, ADRs and tracking stocks. Closed-end funds, convertible debentures, exchange traded funds, limited liability companies, limited partnership interests, preferred stocks, rights, shares or units of beneficial interest, warrants, units and
other derivative stocks are not eligible for inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®. For purposes of NASDAQ-100 Index® eligibility criteria, if the stock is a depositary receipt representing a stock of
a non-U.S. issuer, then references to the “issuer” are references to the issuer of the underlying stock. The NASDAQ-100 Index® does not contain securities of investment companies.
Continued Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for continued inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®, a NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock must meet the following criteria:
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the issuer of the stock’s primary U.S. listing must be exclusively listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market;
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the stock must be issued by a non-financial company;
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the stock may not be issued by an issuer currently in bankruptcy proceedings;
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the stock must have an ADTV of at least 200,000 shares (measured annually during the ranking review process);
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if the issuer of the stock is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the U.S., then such stock must have listed options on a recognized options market in the U.S. or be
eligible for listed-options trading on a recognized options market in the U.S.;
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the issuer must have an adjusted market capitalization equal to or exceeding 0.10% of the aggregate adjusted market capitalization of the NASDAQ-100 Index® at
each month-end. In the event a company does not meet this criterion for two consecutive month-ends, it is removed from the NASDAQ-100 Index® effective after the close of trading on the third Friday of the
following month; and
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the issuer of the stock may not have annual financial statements with an audit opinion that is currently withdrawn.
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All stocks meeting the above criteria will be considered eligible for inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
Those stocks which are found to meet the applicable eligibility criteria during the annual review are then ranked by market capitalization. While there is no minimum market capitalization requirement, inclusion will be determined based on the top
100 issuers with the largest market capitalization meeting all other eligibility requirements. Market capitalization is determined by multiplying a stock’s last sale price by its total number of shares outstanding. The last sale price refers to
the price at which a stock last traded during regular market hours as reported on such stock’s index market, which may be the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (NOCP). The index market is the index eligible stock market for which the NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock’s prices are received and used by Nasdaq, Inc. for purposes of calculating the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
NASDAQ-100 Index® eligible stocks which are already in the NASDAQ-100 Index® and whose issuer is
ranked in the top 100 eligible companies based on market capitalization are retained in the NASDAQ-100 Index®. An index stock issuer ranking 101 to 125 based on market capitalization will also be retained for inclusion in
the NASDAQ-100 Index® if such issuer was previously ranked in the top 100 issuers as of the
last annual ranking review or was added to the NASDAQ-100 Index® subsequent to the previous ranking review and continues to
meet all eligibility criteria. Index stock issuers not meeting such criteria are replaced. The replacement stocks are those eligible stocks not currently in the NASDAQ-100 Index® whose issuers have
the next largest market capitalization.
The data used in the process of ranking by market capitalization includes end of October market data and is updated for total
shares outstanding submitted in an index stock issuer’s publicly filed SEC document via the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) through the end of November. If a stock is a depositary receipt, the total shares
outstanding is the actual depositary shares outstanding as reported by the depositary banks.
The final list of constituents included in the NASDAQ-100 Index®, including any replacements made during
the annual review, is made effective after the close of trading on the third Friday in December. Generally, the list of annual additions and deletions as a result of the annual review is publicly announced by Nasdaq, Inc. via a press release in
the early part of December, in conjunction with an announcement on Nasdaq, Inc.’s website.
NASDAQ-100 Index® Calculation
The discussion below describes the “price return” calculation of the NASDAQ-100 Index®. As compared to
the total return or notional net total return versions of the NASDAQ-100 Index®, the price return version is ordinarily calculated without regard to cash dividends on the NASDAQ-100 Index® stocks.
However, all NASDAQ-100 Index® calculations reflect extraordinary cash distributions and special dividends.
The NASDAQ-100 Index® is a modified market capitalization-weighted index. The value of the NASDAQ-100
Index® equals the NASDAQ-100 Index® market value divided by the NASDAQ-100 Index® divisor.
The overall NASDAQ-100 Index® market value is the aggregate of each NASDAQ-100 Index® stock’s market value, as may be adjusted for any corporate actions. A NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock’s market value is determined by multiplying the last sale price by its index share weight, also known as “index shares”. Index shares are equal to the total number of shares outstanding for a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock.
In other words, the value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® is equal to (i) the sum of the products of (a) the index shares of each of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stocks multiplied by (b) each such stock’s
last sale price (adjusted for corporate actions, if any), divided by (ii) the divisor of the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
The price return NASDAQ-100 Index® divisor is calculated as the ratio of (i) the start of day market
value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® divided by (ii) the previous day NASDAQ-100 Index® value.
If trading in a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is halted on its primary listing market, the most recent last
sale price for that stock is used for all NASDAQ-100 Index® computations until trading on such market resumes. Similarly, the most recent last sale price is used if trading in a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock
is halted on its primary listing market before the market opens.
The NASDAQ-100 Index® is calculated in U.S. dollars during the U.S. market trading day based on the last
sale price and are disseminated once per second from 09:30:01 until 17:16:00 ET. The closing value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® may change up until 17:15:00 ET due to corrections to the last sale price of the NASDAQ-100 Index®
stocks. The official closing value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® is ordinarily disseminated at 17:16:00 ET.
NASDAQ-100 Index® Maintenance
Changes to NASDAQ-100 Index® Constituents
Changes to the NASDAQ-100 Index® constituents may be made during the annual ranking review. In addition, if at any time
during the year other than the annual review, it is determined that an index stock issuer no longer meets the criteria for continued inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible
for continued inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®, it is replaced with the largest market capitalization issuer not currently in the NASDAQ-100 Index® that meets the applicable eligibility criteria
for initial inclusion in the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
Ordinarily, a stock will be removed from the NASDAQ-100 Index® at its last sale price. However, if at
the time of its removal the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is halted from trading on its primary listing market and an official closing price cannot readily be determined, the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock may,
in Nasdaq, Inc.s discretion, be removed at a price of $0.00000001 (“zero price”). This zero price will be applied to the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock after the close of the market but prior to the time the official closing
value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® is disseminated.
Divisor Adjustments
The divisor is adjusted to ensure that changes in NASDAQ-100 Index® constituents either by corporate
actions (that adjust either the price or shares of a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock) or NASDAQ-100 Index® participation outside of trading hours do not affect the value of the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
All divisor changes occur after the close of the applicable index stock markets.
Quarterly NASDAQ-100 Index® Rebalancing
On a quarterly basis coinciding with the quarterly scheduled index shares adjustment procedures, as discussed below, the
NASDAQ-100 Index® will be rebalanced if it is determined that (1) the current weight of the single NASDAQ-100 Index® stock with the largest market capitalization is greater than 24.0% of the
NASDAQ-100 Index® or (2) the collective weight of those stocks whose individual current weights are in excess of 4.5% exceeds 48.0% of the
NASDAQ-100 Index®. In addition, a “special rebalancing” of the NASDAQ-100 Index® may be conducted at any time if Nasdaq, Inc. determines it necessary to maintain the integrity and continuity of the
NASDAQ-100 Index®. If either one or both of the above weight distribution conditions are met upon quarterly review, or Nasdaq, Inc. determines that a special rebalancing is necessary, a weight rebalancing will be
performed.
If the first weight distribution condition is met and the current weight of the single NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock with the largest market capitalization is greater than 24.0%, then the weights of all stocks with current weights greater than 1.0% (“large stocks”) will be scaled down proportionately toward 1.0% until the adjusted weight of the single
largest NASDAQ-100 Index® stock reaches 20.0%.
If the second weight distribution condition is met and the collective weight of those stocks whose individual current weights
are in excess of 4.5% (or adjusted weights in accordance with the previous step, if applicable) exceeds 48.0% of the NASDAQ-100 Index®, then the weights of all such large stocks in that group will be scaled down
proportionately toward 1.0% until their collective weight, so adjusted, is equal to 40.0%.
The aggregate weight reduction among the large stocks resulting from either or both of the rebalancing steps above will then be
redistributed to those stocks with weightings of less than 1.0% (“small stocks”) in the following manner. In the first iteration, the weight of the largest small stock will be scaled upwards by a factor which sets it equal to the average
NASDAQ-100 Index® weight of 1.0%. The weights of each of the smaller remaining small stocks will be scaled up by the same factor reduced in relation to each stock’s relative ranking among the small stocks such that the
smaller the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock in the ranking, the less its weight will be scaled upward. This is intended to reduce the market impact of the weight rebalancing on the smallest component stocks in the NASDAQ-100 Index®.
In the second iteration of the small stock rebalancing, the weight of the second largest small stock, already adjusted in the
first iteration, will be scaled upwards by a factor which sets it equal to the average NASDAQ-100 Index® weight of 1.0%. The weights of each of the smaller remaining small stocks will be scaled up by this same factor
reduced in relation to each stock’s relative ranking among the small stocks such that, once again, the smaller the stock in the ranking, the less its weight will be scaled upward. Additional iterations will be performed until the accumulated
increase in weight among the small stocks equals the aggregate weight reduction among the large stocks that resulted from the rebalancing in accordance with the two weight distribution conditions discussed above.
Finally, to complete the rebalancing process, once the final weighting percentages for each NASDAQ-100 Index® stock have been
set, the index share weights (or index shares) will be determined anew based upon the last sale prices and aggregate capitalization of the NASDAQ-100 Index® at the close of trading on the last calendar day in February,
May, August and November. Changes to the index shares will be made effective after the close of trading on the third Friday in March, June, September and December, and an
adjustment to the divisor is made to ensure continuity of the NASDAQ-100 Index®. Ordinarily, new rebalanced index share
weights will be determined by applying the above procedures to the current index share weights. However, Nasdaq, Inc. may, from time to time, determine rebalanced weights, if necessary, by applying the above procedure to the actual current market
capitalization of the NASDAQ-100 Index® components. In such instances, Nasdaq, Inc. would announce the different basis for rebalancing prior to its implementation.
During the quarterly rebalancing, data is cutoff as of the previous month end and no changes are made to the NASDAQ-100 Index®
from that cutoff until the quarterly index share change effective date, except in the case of changes due to corporate actions with an ex-date.
Corporate Actions and NASDAQ-100 Index® Adjustments
Aside from changes resulting from quarterly rebalancing, intra-quarter changes in index shares driven by corporate events can
also result from a change in a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock’s total shares outstanding that is greater than 10.0%. If a stock is a depositary receipt, the total shares outstanding is the actual depositary shares outstanding as
reported by the depositary banks. Changes in the price and/or index shares driven by corporate events such as stock dividends, stock splits and certain spin-offs and rights issuances are adjusted on the ex-date. Changes in total shares
outstanding are determined by an index stock issuer’s public filings with the SEC. If the change in total shares outstanding arising from other corporate actions is greater than or equal to 10.0%, the change is made as soon as practicable.
Otherwise, if the change in total shares outstanding is less than 10.0%, then all such changes are accumulated and made effective at one time on a quarterly basis after the close of trading on the third Friday in each of March, June, September
and December. The index shares are derived from the stock’s total shares outstanding. The index shares are then adjusted by the same percentage amount by which the total shares outstanding have changed.
The following corporate actions will be made effective on the ex-date. If there is no ex-date announced by the index exchange,
there will be no adjustment to the NASDAQ-100 Index® as a result of a corporate action.
Stock Split and Stock Dividend. A stock split and
stock dividend is the action of a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock in increasing its index shares and decreasing the par value proportionately. There is no flow of capital into or out of the company. The number of index shares in
the NASDAQ-100 Index® increases but the market capitalization of the stock remains unchanged. The price of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is adjusted to reflect the ratio of a stock split and stock
dividend and a corresponding inverse adjustment to the index shares is made.
Reverse Stock Split. A reverse stock split is the
action of a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock in decreasing its index shares and decreasing the par value in proportion. There is no flow of capital into or out of the company. The number of index shares in the NASDAQ-100 Index®
decreases but the market capitalization of the stock remains unchanged. The price of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is adjusted to reflect the ratio of the reverse stock split and a corresponding inverse adjustment to the
index shares is made.
Special Cash Dividends. A dividend is considered
“special” if the information provided by the listing exchange in their announcement of the ex-date indicates that the dividend is special. Other nomenclature for a special dividend may include, but is not limited to, “extra”, “extraordinary”,
“non-recurring”, “one-time” and “unusual”. The price of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock in the NASDAQ-100 Index® is adjusted for the amount of the special cash dividend.
Cash and Stock Dividends. If a NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock is paying a cash and stock dividend on the same date, the cash dividend is applied before the stock dividend unless otherwise indicated in the information
provided by the index exchange. Additionally, in the case of an optional dividend which allows the holder to choose between receiving cash or stock, the adjustment will be made in the manner in which the dividend has been announced by the index
exchange.
Stock Distribution of Another Stock. If a NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock is distributing shares of a different stock, the value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock will be adjusted downward to reflect the ratio of the distribution. There is no adjustment to index shares. If the stock being
distributed is another class of common shares of the same issuer, the value of the existing NASDAQ-100 Index® stock will be adjusted
downward to reflect the ratio of the distribution with no adjustment to index shares, and the new class of shares may be added to the NASDAQ-100
Index® on a pro-rata basis.
Spin-offs. If a NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock is spinning off a stock, the value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock will be adjusted downward to reflect the ratio of the distribution. There is no adjustment to index shares. If a when-issued market is established for
the spin-off company, the price of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is adjusted downward by the value of the spinoff. The value of the spin-off is determined by multiplying the spin-off ratio by the when-issued price. In the
event the value of the spinoff has not been established as indicated above then no price adjustment is made to the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock. The new stock resulting from the spin-off transaction is not added to the
NASDAQ-100 Index®.
Rights Offerings. The price of a NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock is adjusted on the ex-date for rights offerings if the rights are transferable and the offering has a subscription price on an equivalent per share basis that is less than the closing price of the underlying stock (the NASDAQ-100 Index®
stock the right entitles a holder to purchase) on the day prior to the ex-date. The price of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is adjusted downward for the value of the right. The value of the right is equal to (1) (i) the
previous last sale price of the underlying stock minus (ii) the sum of (a) the
subscription price of the right plus (b) the cash dividend of the underlying stock, if any, divided
by (2) the number of rights required to purchase one share plus one.
Corporate actions are implemented in the NASDAQ-100 Index® in accordance with the NASDAQ-100 Index®
maintenance rules discussed above. The divisor will also be adjusted as a result of corporate actions that adjust either the price or shares of a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock. Nasdaq, Inc. will make announcements prior to the
effective date of any corporate actions.
In the case of mergers and acquisitions, the index stock issuer may be removed the day following the shareholder vote or the
expected expiration of the tender offer, provided the acquisition is not contested. In the event the acquisition is contested, the removal of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock will occur as soon as reasonably practicable, once
results have been received indicating that the acquisition will likely be successful.
If a company files for bankruptcy, the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock or stocks of the issuer will be removed
from the NASDAQ-100 Index® as soon as practicable thereafter. The value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® stock will be considered $0.00000001 if no other applicable price can be observed on the Nasdaq
Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market.
Discretionary Adjustments
In addition to the above, Nasdaq, Inc. may, from time to time, exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order
to ensure NASDAQ-100 Index® integrity, including, but not limited to, changes to quantitative inclusion criteria. Nasdaq, Inc. may also, due to special circumstances, if deemed essential, apply discretionary adjustments
to ensure and maintain the quality of the NASDAQ-100 Index® construction and calculation.
Market Disruption Events
If a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock does not trade on its primary listing market on a given day or such index
market has not opened for trading, the most recent last sale price from the index market (adjusted for corporate actions, if any) is used. If a NASDAQ-100 Index® stock is halted from trading on its index market during the
trading day, the most recent last sale price is used until trading resumes.
Corrections and Calculations
The closing value of the NASDAQ-100 Index® may change up until 17:15:00 ET due to corrections to the last sale price of the
NASDAQ-100 Index® stocks. In the event that a change has been made to the NASDAQ-100 Index® intraday, Nasdaq, Inc. will make an announcement describing such change. In the event a NASDAQ-100 Index®
calculation has been corrected retroactively, an announcement will be provided.
License Agreement between Nasdaq, Inc. and GS Finance Corp.
The Product(s) is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by NASDAQ, Inc. or its affiliates (NASDAQ, with its affiliates, are
referred to as the “Corporations”). The Corporations have not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the Product(s). The Corporations make no representation or
warranty, express or implied to the owners of the Product(s) or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Product(s) particularly, or the ability of the NASDAQ-100®
Index to track general stock market performance. The Corporations' only relationship to GS Finance Corp. (“Licensee”) is in the licensing of the Nasdaq®, NASDAQ-100 Index®, and certain trade names
of the Corporations and the use of the NASDAQ-100 Index® which is determined, composed and calculated by NASDAQ without regard to Licensee or the Product(s). NASDAQ has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or
the owners of the Product(s) into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the NASDAQ-100 Index®. The Corporations are not responsible for and have
not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Product(s) to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Product(s) is to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no
liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Product(s).
The Corporations do not guarantee the accuracy and/or uninterrupted calculation of Nasdaq-100 Index® or
any data included therein. The Corporations make no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by Licensee, owners of the product(s), or any other person or entity from the use of the Nasdaq-100 Index® or
any data included therein. The Corporations make no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaim all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Nasdaq-100 Index®
or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Corporations have any liability for any lost profits or special, incidental, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages, even if notified of the
possibility of such damages.
The Russell 2000® Index
The Russell 2000® Index measures the composite price performance of stocks of 2,000
companies incorporated in the U.S., its territories and certain “benefit-driven incorporation countries.”
As of September 4, 2018, the 2,000 companies included in the Russell 2000® Index were
divided into nine Russell Global Sectors. The Russell Global Sectors include (with the approximate percentage currently included in such sectors indicated in parentheses): Consumer Discretionary (14.93%), Consumer Staples (2.44%), Financial
Services (24.88%), Health Care (16.02%), Materials & Processing (6.79%), Other Energy (4.54%), Producer Durables (13.47%), Technology (12.98%) and Utilities (3.96%). (Sector designations are determined by the underlier sponsor using criteria
it has selected or developed. Index sponsors may use very different standards for determining sector designations. In addition, many companies operate in a number of sectors, but are listed in only one sector and the basis on which that sector
is selected may also differ. As a result, sector comparisons between indices with different index sponsors may reflect differences in methodology as well as actual differences in the sector composition of the indices.)
In addition to the exclusions discussed under “Exclusions from the Russell 2000® Index”
on page S-62 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, a company with 5% or less of its voting rights in the hands of unrestricted shareholders is no longer eligible for inclusion in the Russell 2000® Index.
Existing constituents of the Russell 2000® Index that do not currently have more than 5% of the company’s voting rights in the hands of unrestricted shareholders have until the September 2022 review to meet this
requirement.
The above information supplements the description of the underlier found in the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734. This information was
derived from information prepared by the underlier sponsor, however, the percentages we have listed above are approximate and may not match the information available on the underlier sponsor’s website due to subsequent corporate actions or other
activity relating to a particular stock. For more details about the underlier, the underlier sponsor and license agreement between the underlier sponsor and the issuer, see “The Underliers — Russell 2000® Index” on page
S-61 of the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734.
The Russell 2000® Index is a trademark of FTSE Russell (“Russell”) and has been licensed
for use by GS Finance Corp. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Russell, and Russell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the notes.
Historical Closing Levels of the Underliers
The closing levels of the underliers have fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations.
Any historical upward or downward trend in the closing level of either underlier during the period shown below is not an indication that such underlier is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the life of your notes.
You should not take the historical closing levels of an
underlier as an indication of the future performance of an underlier. We cannot give you any assurance that the future performance of any underlier or the underlier stocks will result in you receiving the outstanding face amount of your
notes on the stated maturity date.
Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the underliers. Before investing in
the notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the underlier levels between the date of this pricing supplement and the date of your purchase of the notes. The actual performance of an underlier over the life of the
offered notes, as well as the cash settlement amount at maturity may bear little relation to the historical levels shown below.
The graphs below show the daily historical closing levels of each index from September 6, 2008 through September 6, 2018. We obtained the levels in
the graphs below from Bloomberg Financial Services, without independent verification. Although the official closing levels of the Russell 2000® Index are published to six decimal places by the index sponsor, Bloomberg
Financial Services reports the levels of the Russell 2000® Index to fewer decimal places.
Historical Performance of the S&P 500® Index
Historical Performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index®
Historical Performance of the Russell 2000® Index
The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. In addition, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that the
characterization of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes that will be required under the terms of the notes, as discussed below, is a reasonable interpretation of current law.
This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
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a dealer in securities or currencies;
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a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities holdings;
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a bank;
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a life insurance company;
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a tax exempt organization;
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a partnership;
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a regulated investment company;
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an accrual method taxpayer subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of its use of financial statements;
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a person that owns a note as a hedge or that is hedged against interest rate risks;
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a person that owns a note as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes; or
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a United States holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar.
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Although this section is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history,
existing and proposed regulations under the Internal Revenue Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect, no statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses how your notes should be treated for U.S.
federal income tax purposes, and as a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in your notes are uncertain. Moreover, these laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.
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You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax and any other applicable tax consequences of
your investments in the notes, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
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United States Holders
This section applies to you only if you are a United States holder that holds your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. You
are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of each of your notes and you are:
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a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a domestic corporation;
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or
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a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial
decisions of the trust.
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Tax Treatment. You will be
obligated pursuant to the terms of the notes — in the absence of a change in law, an administrative determination or a judicial ruling to the contrary — to characterize your notes for all tax purposes as pre-paid derivative contracts in respect
of the underliers. Except as otherwise stated below, the discussion herein assumes that the notes will be so treated.
Upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes, you should recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference,
if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time and your tax basis in your notes. Your tax basis in the notes will generally be equal to the amount that you paid for the notes. If you hold your notes for more than one year, the gain
or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss. If you hold your notes for one year or less, the gain or loss generally will be short-term capital gain or loss. Short-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at the marginal tax
rates applicable to ordinary income.
No statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly discusses how your notes should be treated for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your investment in the notes are uncertain and alternative characterizations are possible. Accordingly, we urge you to consult your tax advisor in
determining the tax consequences of an investment in your notes in your particular circumstances, including the application of state, local or other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.
Alternative Treatments. There is no judicial or
administrative authority discussing how your notes should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service might assert that a treatment other than that described above is more appropriate. For example,
the Internal Revenue Service could treat your notes as a single debt instrument subject to special rules governing contingent payment debt instruments. Under those rules, the amount of interest you are required to take into account for each
accrual period would be determined by constructing a projected payment schedule for the notes and applying rules similar to those for accruing original issue discount on a hypothetical noncontingent debt instrument with that projected payment
schedule. This method is applied by first determining the comparable yield – i.e., the yield at which we would issue a noncontingent fixed rate debt instrument with terms and conditions similar to your notes – and then determining a payment
schedule as of the issue date that would produce the comparable yield. These rules may have the effect of requiring you to include interest in income in respect of your notes prior to your receipt of cash attributable to that income.
If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, any gain you recognize upon the sale, exchange, redemption or
maturity of your notes would be treated as ordinary interest income. Any loss you recognize at that time would be ordinary loss to the extent of interest you included as income in the current or previous taxable years in respect of your notes,
and, thereafter, capital loss.
If the rules governing contingent payment debt instruments apply, special rules would apply to a person who purchases notes at a
price other than the adjusted issue price as determined for tax purposes.
It is also possible that your notes could be treated in the manner described above, except that any gain or loss that you
recognize at maturity or upon redemption would be treated as ordinary gain or loss. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of such characterization and any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S.
federal income tax purposes.
It is possible that the Internal Revenue Service could seek to characterize your notes in a manner that results in tax
consequences to you that are different from those described above. You should consult your tax advisor as to the tax consequences of any possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Possible Change in Law
On December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released a notice stating that the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are
actively considering issuing guidance regarding the proper U.S. federal income tax treatment of an instrument such as the offered notes, including whether holders should be required to accrue ordinary income on a current basis and whether gain or
loss should be ordinary or capital. It is not possible to determine what guidance they will ultimately issue, if any. It is possible, however, that under such guidance, holders of the notes will ultimately be required to accrue income currently
and this could be applied on a retroactive basis. The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are also considering other relevant issues, including whether foreign holders of such instruments should be subject to withholding tax on
any deemed income accruals and whether the special
“constructive ownership rules” of Section 1260 of the Internal Revenue Code might be applied to such instruments. Holders are urged to consult
their tax advisors concerning the significance, and the potential impact, of the above considerations. Except to the extent otherwise provided by law, we intend to continue treating the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance
with the treatment described above under “Tax Treatment” unless and until such time as Congress, the Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service determine that some other treatment is more appropriate. You are urged to consult your tax
advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative action may adversely affect the tax treatment and the value of your notes.
Furthermore, in 2007, legislation was introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have required holders that acquired
instruments such as your notes after the bill was enacted to accrue interest income over the term of such instruments even though there will be no interest payments over the term of such instruments. It is not possible to predict whether a
similar or identical bill will be enacted in the future, or whether any such bill would affect the tax treatment of your notes.
It is impossible to predict what any such legislation or administrative or regulatory guidance might provide, and whether the
effective date of any legislation or guidance will affect notes that were issued before the date that such legislation or guidance is issued. You are urged to consult your tax advisor as to the possibility that any legislative or administrative
action may adversely affect the tax treatment of your notes.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Please see the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information
Reporting—United States Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the applicability of the backup withholding and information reporting rules to payments made on your notes.
United States Alien Holders
This section applies to you only if you are a United States alien holder. You are a United States alien holder if you are the
beneficial owner of notes and are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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a nonresident alien individual;
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a foreign corporation; or
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an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from the notes.
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You will be subject to generally applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements as discussed in the
accompanying prospectus under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Backup Withholding and Information Reporting — United States Alien Holders” with respect to payments on your notes and, notwithstanding that we do not intend to
treat the notes as debt for tax purposes, we intend to backup withhold on such payments with respect to your notes unless you comply with the requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding on debt instruments (in which case you will not be
subject to such backup withholding) as set forth under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Alien Holders” in the accompanying prospectus.
Furthermore, on December 7, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released Notice 2008-2 soliciting comments from the public on
various issues, including whether instruments such as your notes should be subject to withholding. It is therefore possible that rules will be issued in the future, possibly with retroactive effect, that would cause payments on your notes at
maturity or upon redemption to be subject to withholding, even if you comply with certification requirements as to your foreign status.
As discussed above, alternative characterizations of the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes are possible. Should an alternative
characterization of the notes, by reason of a change or clarification of the law, by regulation or otherwise, cause payments at maturity or upon redemption with respect to the notes to become subject to withholding tax, we will withhold tax at
the applicable statutory rate and we will not make payments of any additional amounts. Prospective United States alien holders of the notes should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
In addition, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under which amounts paid or deemed paid on certain financial
instruments (“871(m) financial instruments”) that are treated as attributable to U.S.-source dividends could be treated, in whole or in part depending on the circumstances, as a “dividend equivalent” payment that is subject to tax at a rate of
30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty), which in the case of any amounts you receive upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes, could be collected via withholding. If these regulations were to apply to the notes, we
may be required to withhold such taxes if any U.S.-source dividends are paid on the stocks included in the underliers during the term of the notes. We could also require you to make certifications (e.g., an applicable Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8) prior to the maturity of the notes in order to avoid or minimize withholding obligations, and we could withhold accordingly (subject to your potential right to
claim a refund from the Internal Revenue Service) if such certifications were not received or were not satisfactory. If withholding was required, we would not be required to pay any additional amounts with respect to amounts so withheld. These
regulations generally will apply to 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued)
on or after January 1, 2019, but will also apply to certain 871(m) financial instruments (or a combination of financial instruments treated as having been entered into in connection with each other) that have a delta (as defined in the applicable
Treasury regulations) of one and are issued (or significantly modified and treated as retired and reissued) on or after January 1, 2017. In addition, these regulations will not apply to financial instruments that reference a “qualified index”
(as defined in the regulations). We have determined that, as of the issue date of your notes, your notes will not be subject to withholding under these rules. In certain limited circumstances, however, you should be aware that it is possible
for United States alien holders to be liable for tax under these rules with respect to a combination of transactions treated as having been entered into in connection with each other even when no withholding is required. You should consult your
tax advisor concerning these regulations, subsequent official guidance and regarding any other possible alternative characterizations of your notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding
Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation—Taxation of Debt
Securities—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to FATCA withholding.
However, according to published guidance, the withholding tax described above will not apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition of the notes made before January 1, 2019.
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any
representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734,
the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is an offer to sell only
the notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying general terms supplement no. 1,734, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.
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PS-3
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PS-6
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PS-10
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PS-15
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PS-30
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General Terms Supplement No. 1,734 dated July 10, 2017
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Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes
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S-1
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Supplemental Terms of the Notes
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S-16
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The Underliers
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S-36
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S&P 500® Index
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S-40
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MSCI Indices
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S-46
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Hang Seng China Enterprises Index
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S-55
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Russell 2000® Index
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S-61
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FTSE® 100 Index
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S-69
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EURO STOXX 50® Index
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S-75
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TOPIX
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S-82
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average®
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S-87
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The iShares® MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
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S-91
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Use of Proceeds
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S-94
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Hedging
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S-94
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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S-95
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
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S-96
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Conflicts of Interest
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S-98
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Prospectus Supplement dated July 10, 2017
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Use of Proceeds
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S-2
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Description of Notes We May Offer
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S-3
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Considerations Relating to Indexed Notes
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S-15
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United States Taxation
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S-18
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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S-19
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Supplemental Plan of Distribution
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S-20
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Validity of the Notes and Guarantees
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S-21
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Prospectus dated July 10, 2017
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Available Information
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2
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Prospectus Summary
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4
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Risks Relating to Regulatory Resolution Strategies and Long-Term Debt Requirements
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8
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Use of Proceeds
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11
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Description of Debt Securities We May Offer
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12
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Description of Warrants We May Offer
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45
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Description of Units We May Offer
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60
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GS Finance Corp.
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65
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Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance
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67
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Considerations Relating to Floating Rate Debt Securities
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72
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Considerations Relating to Indexed Securities
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73
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Considerations Relating to Securities Denominated or Payable in or Linked to a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency
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74
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United States Taxation
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77
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Plan of Distribution
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92
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Conflicts of Interest
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94
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act
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95
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Validity of the Securities and Guarantees
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95
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Experts
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96
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Review of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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96
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Cautionary Statement Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
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96
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$
GS Finance Corp.
Autocallable Index-Linked Notes due
guaranteed by
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC