CompareStructuredProducts.com - 01/06/2022
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A copy of our explanation for the latest 10:10 Plan (Option 2) can be accessed below.
Please contact me at StructuredProducts@Lowes.co.uk if you have any feedback or suggestions.
This maximum ten-year investment offers the potential for a simple gain of 10.25% for each year held, depending on the performance of the FTSE Custom 100 Synthetic 3.5% Fixed Dividend Index (FTSE CSDI). The FTSE CSDI was specifically designed for structured products and is expected to closely replicate the performance of the FTSE 100 Index. Please see below for further detail.
The terms of the Plan provide protection to the invested capital against all but a severely underperforming stockmarket over the investment term, or the counterparty’s failure. Whilst the Plan is designed as a maximum ten-year investment, it will mature early on any of its anniversaries from year two onwards, provided the FTSE CSDI closes at a level at least equal to that recorded at commencement. Briefly, the Plan is structured to provide the following returns:
The Plan is designed to return the invested capital in full, in addition to a 10.25% gain for each year held if, on any of its anniversary dates from year two onwards, the FTSE CSDI closes at, or above, the closing value recorded on 17th June 2022 (the Initial Index Level).
Therefore, if on 17th June 2024 the index closes at a level at least equal to the Initial Index Level, the Plan will mature returning the invested capital, plus a gain of 20.5%. If the Plan does not mature on this date, it will then continue onto year three. Once again, if the index closes at a level at least equal to the Initial Index Level on the third anniversary date, the Plan will mature and return the original capital investment in full, in addition to a 30.75% gain. Otherwise, the Plan will continue onto year four, etc., through to year ten.
If the Plan reaches its final maturity date because on each of the previous eight anniversary dates the index closed below the Initial Index Level, then the maturity value will be dependent upon the closing level of the FTSE CSDI on 17th June 2032 (the Final Index Level).
If the Final Index Level is at, or above, its initial level, then the invested capital should be returned in full, in addition to a 102.5% gain (i.e. 10.25% gain multiplied by ten years).
If the Final Index Level is below its Initial Index Level, no gain will be returned; however, investors' capital should still be returned in full, unless the Final Index Level is more than 30% below the Initial Index Level. If such a fall does occur, investors will suffer a reduction to their invested capital of 1% for every 1% the Final Index Level is below the Initial Index Level. For example, if the index finishes 35% lower, only 65% of the original capital will be returned.
The returns outlined above, including the return of capital are dependent upon Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, the counterparty to the investment, meeting their contractual obligations on time as investors will in effect be lending their capital to them.
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc has a Standard & Poor’s rating of ‘A+’ indicating that they believe it has a strong capacity to meet financial commitments. Regardless of the perceived strength of a counterparty, it must be appreciated that if Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc is unable to meet its liabilities or, is declared bankrupt, investors could lose some or all of their capital regardless of the performance of the index.
Under the terms of this Plan, in order for there to be a reduction to the invested capital, it would require Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc to default or the Plan’s early maturity feature trigger to be missed on each of the observed anniversary dates and the FTSE CSDI to close on 17th June 2032 at a level more than 30% below its Initial Index Level. In the latter event, the loss to the invested capital would be at the same level as the fall in the index.
The Plan literature states that under current legislation any gain produced by this investment when held outside of a tax shelter will be subject to Capital Gains Tax rules, which may prove favourable as every individual has an annual capital gains exemption (£12,300 for the 2022/2023 tax year). Any gains that fall outside of the annual exemption in the year of maturity will be subject to tax at the prevailing rate which is currently 10% for basic rate taxpayers and 20% for higher rate taxpayers.
This investment is designed in such a way that it may have to be held for the full ten years and if it is encashed during the term (other than as the result of the early maturity feature), investors’ capital may not be returned in full, even if the index has risen.
Like most investments, this Plan is only suitable for those who are prepared to expose their capital to a degree of risk and accept the consequences of these risks resulting in the worst outcome. It is important that would-be investors read the Plan literature which gives full details of the contract including details of the risks, to which they should pay particular attention.
The FTSE Custom 100 Synthetic 3.5% Fixed Dividend Index (FTSE CSDI) was developed as an underlying for structured products by FTSE Russell, who also calculate and publish the FTSE 100 Index.
The FTSE CSDI tracks the same 100 shares as the FTSE 100 but unlike the FTSE 100, the CSDI includes the benefit of the dividends paid by the companies (which have historically averaged around 3.5% per annum) and then deducts the equivalent to a fixed 3.5% dividend per annum, on a daily basis. The result is that the index will perform almost identically to the FTSE 100 if dividends are at 3.5% pa, moderately underperform if they are less, and moderately overperform if they are more. Simulated back testing of the two indices show them to be very highly correlated and since the first structured investment linked to the CSDI was issued the performance has been almost identical. In return for the investor accepting the potential for these to fall again, counterparty banks are prepared to offer investors much higher potential returns for contracts utilising the CSDI. This is because using the CSDI reduces the bank’s cost and uncertainty of hedging the future dividends that the shares will distribute by effectively fixing it at 3.5%.
For the most up to date information on the performance of the FTSE Custom 100 Synthetic 3.5% Fixed Dividend Index, please visit here.
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