Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Statement No. 333-219206

 

 

 

Subject to our redemption right described below, interest will be payable on July 23, 2019, October 23, 2019, January 23, 2020, April 23, 2020 and the stated maturity date (July 23, 2020).  The interest rate for each quarterly interest period will be a floating rate equal to the then-applicable 3-month USD LIBOR rate on the interest determination date for the interest period plus the spread of 0.31% per annum, subject to the minimum interest rate of 0.00% per annum and provided that the interest rate for the first interest period will be 2.9015% per annum (equal to an initial base rate of 2.5915% per annum plus the spread of 0.31% per annum). The notes will mature on the stated maturity date. On the stated maturity date, you will receive $1,000, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, for each $1,000 of the face amount of your notes. LIBOR is being modified, see page S-6.

We may redeem the notes at our option, in whole but not in part, on any interest payment date on or after October 23, 2019, upon five business days’ prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding face amount plus any accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the redemption date.

Your investment in the notes involves certain risks, including our credit risk.  See page S-6.

You should read the disclosure herein to better understand the terms and risks of your investment.

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

Prospectus Supplement No. 223 dated April 17, 2019.

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The issue price, underwriting discount and net proceeds listed on the cover page hereof relate to the notes we sell initially.  We may decide to sell additional notes after the date of this prospectus 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.

 

Goldman Sachs may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the offered notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, or any other affiliate of Goldman Sachs may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in a note after its initial sale. Unless Goldman Sachs 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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SPECIFIC TERMS OF YOUR NOTES

 

 

Key Terms

 

Issuer: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Specified currency:  U.S. dollars (“$”)

Face amount: each note will have a face amount equal to $1,000, or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof; $65,000,000 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 prospectus supplement

Stated maturity date:  July 23, 2020

Trade date:  April 17, 2019

Original issue date (settlement date):  April 23, 2019

Form of notes:  global form only

Supplemental discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences: The notes will be treated as variable rate debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under this characterization, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP that you should include the interest payments on the notes in ordinary income at the time you receive or accrue such payments, depending on your regular method of accounting for tax purposes. In addition, any gain or loss you recognize upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes should be capital gain or loss except to the extent of any amount attributable to any accrued but unpaid interest payments on your notes. Please see “Supplemental Discussion of Federal Income Tax Consequences” below for a more detailed discussion.

Interest rate:  a rate per annum equal to the base rate plus the spread, subject to the minimum interest rate; for the initial interest period, the base rate shall be the initial base rate

Minimum interest rate:  0.00% per annum

Base rate:  3-month USD LIBOR (as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement under “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Interest Rates — LIBOR Notes” and “Discontinuance of the LIBOR base rate” below). LIBOR is being modified, see page S-6.

Discontinuance of the LIBOR base rate:  if the calculation agent determines on the relevant interest determination date that the base rate has been discontinued, then the calculation agent will use a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to the LIBOR base rate, provided that if the calculation agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate, then the calculation agent shall use such successor base rate. If the calculation agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, the calculation agent in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of business day and the interest determination dates to be used, and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the LIBOR base rate, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base

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rate. Unless the calculation agent uses a substitute or successor base rate as so provided, the provisions as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement under “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Interest Rates — LIBOR Notes” will apply

Reuters screen LIBOR page:  LIBOR01

Index maturity:  3 months

Index currency:  U.S. dollar

Spread:  0.31% per annum

Initial base rate:  2.5915% per annum

Interest payment dates:  July 23, 2019, October 23, 2019, January 23, 2020, April 23, 2020 and the stated maturity date

Interest periods:  quarterly; the periods from and including an interest payment date (or the original issue date, in the case of the first interest period) to but excluding the next succeeding interest payment date (or the stated maturity date, in the case of the final interest period)

Business day convention:  modified following; applicable to interest payment dates and interest reset dates

Interest determination dates:  for each interest period, the second London business day preceding the interest reset date

Interest reset dates:  July 23, 2019, October 23, 2019, January 23, 2020 and April 23, 2020

Day count convention:  actual/360 (ISDA)

Regular record dates:  the day immediately prior to the day on which the interest payment is to be made (as such

payment day may be adjusted under the applicable business day convention)

Redemption at option of issuer before stated maturity date:  We will be permitted to redeem the notes at our option before their stated maturity, as described below. The notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund – that is, we will not deposit money on a regular basis into any separate custodial account to repay your note. In addition, you will not be entitled to require us to buy your note from you before its stated maturity.

We will have the right to redeem the notes at our option, in whole but not in part, on any interest payment date on or after October 23, 2019, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding face amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the redemption date. We will provide not less than five business days’ prior notice in the manner described under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Notices” in the attached prospectus. If the redemption notice is given and funds deposited as required, then interest will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date on the notes. If any redemption date is not a business day, we will pay the redemption price on the next business day without any interest or other payment due to the delay.

No listing:  the notes will not be listed or displayed on any securities exchange or interdealer market quotation system

Business day:  New York business day and London business day

Calculation agent:  Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“GS&Co.”)

CUSIP no.:  38150ACQ6

ISIN no.:  US38150ACQ67

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

 

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HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES

The following table is provided for purposes of illustration only. It should not be taken as an indication or prediction of future investment results and is intended merely to illustrate the method we will use to calculate the amount of interest accrued during each interest period.

The table below is based on 3-month USD LIBOR rates that are entirely hypothetical; no one can predict what the 3-month USD LIBOR rate will be on any day, and no one can predict the interest that will accrue on your notes in any interest period.

For these reasons, the actual 3-month USD LIBOR rates, as well as the interest payable on each interest payment date, may bear little relation to the hypothetical tables shown below or to the historical 3-month USD LIBOR rates shown elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. For information about the 3-month USD LIBOR rates during recent periods, see “Historical 3-Month USD LIBOR Rates” on page S-11. Before investing in the offered notes, you should consult publicly available information to determine the 3-month USD LIBOR rates between the date of this prospectus supplement and the date of your purchase of the offered notes.

The following table illustrates the method we will use to calculate the interest rate at which interest will accrue on each day included in an interest period, subject to the key terms and assumptions below.

The percentage amounts in the left column of the table below represent hypothetical 3-month USD LIBOR rates on a given interest determination date. The right column of the table below represents the hypothetical interest, as a percentage of the face amount of each note, that would be payable on the applicable interest payment date, based on the corresponding hypothetical 3-month USD LIBOR rate. The information in the table also reflects the key terms and assumptions in the box below.

Also, the hypothetical examples shown below assume the notes are not redeemed and do not take into account the effects of applicable taxes.

* Interest is floored at the minimum interest rate of 0.00% per annum.

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 the amounts that would be paid on a combination of an interest-bearing bond bought, and an option bought, by the holder (with an implicit option premium paid over time by the holder). The discussion in this paragraph does not modify or affect the terms of the notes or the United States income tax treatment of the notes, as described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

 

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ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

The Notes Are Subject to the Credit Risk of the Issuer

Although the return on the notes will be based, in part, on the performance of the 3-month USD LIBOR, the payment of any amount due on the notes is subject to our credit risk. 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.  See “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Information About Our Medium-Term Notes, Series N Program — How the Notes Rank Against Other Debt” on page S-5 of the accompanying prospectus supplement.

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 prospectus 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 prospectus supplement.

The Amount of Interest Payable on Your Notes Will Not Be Affected by the 3-Month USD LIBOR Rate on Any Day Other Than an Interest Determination Date

For each interest period, the amount of interest payable on each interest payment date is calculated based on the 3-month USD LIBOR rate on the applicable interest determination date plus the applicable spread. Although the actual 3-month USD LIBOR rate on an interest payment date or at other times during an interest period may be higher than the 3-month USD LIBOR rate on the applicable interest determination date, you will not benefit from the 3-month USD LIBOR rate at any time other than on the interest determination date for such interest period.

U.K. Regulators Will No Longer Persuade or Compel Banks to Submit Rates for Calculation of LIBOR After 2021; Interest Rate Benchmark May Be Discontinued

On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade or compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR (which includes the 3-month USD LIBOR rate) after 2021. Such announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR on the current basis cannot and will not be guaranteed after 2021. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it appears highly likely that LIBOR will be discontinued or modified by 2021. It is not possible to predict the effect that this announcement or any such discontinuance or modification will have on the 3-month USD LIBOR rate or your notes. If the calculation agent determines on the relevant interest determination date that 3-month USD LIBOR has been discontinued, then the calculation agent will use a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to 3-month USD LIBOR, provided that if the calculation agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate, then the calculation agent shall use such successor base rate. If the calculation agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, the calculation agent in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of business day and the interest determination dates to be used, and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the LIBOR base rate, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. See “Specific Terms of Your Notes—Key Terms—Discontinuance of the LIBOR base rate” on page S-3.

Regulation and Reform of “Benchmarks”, Including LIBOR and Other Types of Benchmarks, May Cause Such “Benchmarks” to Perform Differently Than in the Past, or to Disappear Entirely, or Have Other Consequences Which Cannot be Predicted

LIBOR and other interest rate, equity, foreign exchange rate and other types of indices which are deemed to be “benchmarks” are the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. Some of these reforms are already effective while others are still to be implemented. These reforms may cause such “benchmarks” to perform differently than in the past, or to disappear entirely, or have other consequences which cannot be predicted. Any such consequence could have a material adverse effect on your notes.

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Any of the international, national or other proposals for reform or the general increased regulatory scrutiny of “benchmarks” could increase the costs and risks of administering or otherwise participating in the setting of a “benchmark” and complying with any such regulations or requirements. Such factors may have the effect of discouraging market participants from continuing to administer or contribute to certain “benchmarks”, trigger changes in the rules or methodologies used in certain “benchmarks” or lead to the disappearance of certain “benchmarks”. The disappearance of a “benchmark” or changes in the manner of administration of a “benchmark” could result in discretionary valuation by the calculation agent or other consequence in relation to your notes. Any such consequence could have a material adverse effect on the value of and return on your notes.

We Are Able to Redeem Your Notes at Our Option

On any interest payment date on or after October 23, 2019, we will be permitted to redeem your notes at our option. Even if we do not exercise our option to redeem your notes, our ability to do so may adversely affect the value of your notes. It is our sole option whether to redeem your notes prior to maturity and we may or may not exercise this option for any reason.  Because of this redemption option, the term of your notes will be between six months and fifteen months.

The Historical Levels of the 3-Month USD LIBOR Rate Are Not an Indication of the Future Levels of the
3-Month USD LIBOR Rate

In the past, the level of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate has experienced significant fluctuations. You should note that historical levels, fluctuations and trends of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate are not necessarily indicative of future levels. Any historical upward or downward trend in the 3-month USD LIBOR rate is not an indication that the 3-month USD LIBOR rate is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during an interest period, and you should not take the historical levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate as an indication of its future performance.

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

When we refer to the market value of your notes, we mean the value that you could receive for your notes if you chose to sell them in the open market before the stated maturity date. A number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, will influence the market value of your notes, including:

These factors, and many other factors, will influence the price you will receive if you sell your notes before maturity, including the price you may receive for your notes in any market making transaction. If you sell your notes before maturity, you may receive less than the face amount of your notes.

You cannot predict the future performance of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate based on its historical performance. The actual performance of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate, as well as the interest payable on each interest payment date, may bear little or no relation to the hypothetical levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate or to the hypothetical examples shown elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

If the 3-Month USD LIBOR Rate Changes, the Market Value of Your Notes May Not Change in the Same Manner

The price of your notes may move differently than the 3-month USD LIBOR rate. Changes in the 3-month USD LIBOR rate may not result in a comparable change in the market value of your notes. We discuss some of the reasons for this disparity under “— The Amount of Interest Payable on Your Notes Will Not Be Affected by the 3-Month USD LIBOR Rate on Any Day Other Than an Interest Determination Date” and “— The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors” above.

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

Goldman Sachs expects to hedge our obligations under the notes by purchasing futures and/or other instruments linked to 3-month USD LIBOR. Goldman Sachs also expects to adjust the hedge by, among other things, purchasing or selling any of the foregoing, and perhaps other instruments linked to 3-month USD LIBOR, at any time and from time to

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time, and to unwind the hedge by selling any of the foregoing on or before the final interest determination date for your notes. Alternatively, Goldman Sachs may hedge all or part of our obligations under the notes with unaffiliated distributors of the notes which we expect will undertake similar market activity. Goldman Sachs may also enter into, adjust and unwind hedging transactions relating to other 3-month USD LIBOR-linked notes whose returns are linked to 3-month USD LIBOR.

In addition to entering into such transactions itself, or distributors entering into such transactions, Goldman Sachs may structure such transactions for its clients or counterparties, or otherwise advise or assist clients or counterparties in entering into such transactions. These activities may be undertaken to achieve a variety of objectives, including: permitting other purchasers of the notes or other securities to hedge their investment in whole or in part; facilitating transactions for other clients or counterparties that may have business objectives or investment strategies that are inconsistent with or contrary to those of investors in the notes; hedging the exposure of Goldman Sachs to the notes including any interest in the notes that it reacquires or retains as part of the offering process, through its market-making activities or otherwise; enabling Goldman Sachs to comply with its internal risk limits or otherwise manage firmwide, business unit or product risk; and/or enabling Goldman Sachs to take directional views as to relevant markets on behalf of itself or its clients or counterparties that are inconsistent with or contrary to the views and objectives of the investors in the notes.

Any of these hedging or other activities may adversely affect the levels of 3-month USD LIBOR — and therefore the market value of your notes and the amount we will pay on your notes at maturity. In addition, you should expect that these transactions will cause Goldman Sachs or its clients, counterparties or distributors to have economic interests and incentives that do not align with, and that may be directly contrary to, those of an investor in the notes. Neither Goldman Sachs nor any distributor will have any obligation to take, refrain from taking or cease taking any action with respect to these transactions based on the potential effect on an investor in the notes, and may receive substantial returns on hedging or other activities while the value of your notes declines. In addition, if the distributor from which you purchase notes is to conduct hedging activities in connection with the notes, that distributor may otherwise profit in connection with such hedging activities and such profit, if any, will be in addition to the compensation that the distributor receives for the sale of the notes to you. You should be aware that the potential to earn fees in connection with hedging activities may create a further incentive for the distributor to sell the notes to you in addition to the compensation they would receive for the sale of the notes.

As Calculation Agent, GS&Co. Will Have the Authority to Make Determinations that Could Affect the Value of Your Notes and the Amount You May Receive On Any Interest Payment Date

As calculation agent for your notes, GS&Co. will have discretion in making certain determinations that affect your notes, including determining the 3-month USD LIBOR rate on any interest determination date, which we will use to determine the amount we will pay on any applicable interest payment date. Further, if GS&Co. as calculation agent determines on the relevant interest determination date that 3-month USD LIBOR has been discontinued, then GS&Co. will use a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to 3-month USD LIBOR, provided that if GS&Co. determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate, then GS&Co. shall use such successor base rate. If GS&Co. has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, GS&Co. in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of business day and the interest determination dates to be used, and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the LIBOR base rate, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. See “Specific Terms of Your Notes—Key Terms—Discontinuance of the LIBOR base rate” on page S-3. The exercise of this discretion by GS&Co. could adversely affect the value of your notes and may present GS&Co. with a conflict of interest. We may change the calculation agent at any time without notice and GS&Co. may resign as calculation agent at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to us.

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.

Certain Considerations for Insurance Companies and Employee Benefit Plans

Any insurance company or fiduciary of a pension plan or other employee benefit plan that is subject to the prohibited transaction rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, which we call “ERISA”, or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including an IRA or a Keogh plan (or a governmental plan to which similar prohibitions apply), and that is considering purchasing the offered notes with the assets of the insurance company or the

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assets of such a plan, should consult with its counsel regarding whether the purchase or holding of the offered notes could become a “prohibited transaction” under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any substantially similar prohibition in light of the representations a purchaser or holder in any of the above categories is deemed to make by purchasing and holding the offered notes. This is discussed in more detail under “Employee Retirement Income Security Act” below.

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 discussion in that section is hereby modified to reflect regulations proposed by the Treasury Department indicating its intent to eliminate the requirements under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, maturity or other disposition of relevant financial instruments. The Treasury Department has indicated that taxpayers may rely on these proposed regulations pending their finalization.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the offered notes for the purposes we describe in the accompanying prospectus under “Use of Proceeds”.

HEDGING

In anticipation of the sale of the offered notes, we and/or our affiliates have entered into or expect to enter into hedging transactions involving purchases of instruments linked to the 3-month USD LIBOR rate. In addition, from time to time, we and/or our affiliates expect to enter into additional hedging transactions and to unwind those we have entered into, in connection with the offered notes and perhaps in connection with other notes we issue, some of which may have returns linked to the 3-month USD LIBOR rate. Consequently, with regard to your notes, from time to time, we and/or our affiliates:

We and/or our affiliates may also acquire a long or short position in securities similar to your notes from time to time and may, in our or their sole discretion, hold or resell those securities.

In the future, we and/or our affiliates expect to close out hedge positions relating to the offered notes and perhaps relating to other notes with returns linked to the 3-month USD LIBOR rate. These steps may also involve sales and/or purchases of some or all of the listed or over-the-counter options, futures or other instruments linked to the 3-month USD LIBOR.

 

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HISTORICAL 3-MONTH USD LIBOR RATES

The level of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate has fluctuated in the past and may, in the future, experience significant fluctuations.  Any historical upward or downward trend in the level of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate during the period shown below is not an indication that the 3-month USD LIBOR rate is more or less likely to increase or decrease at any time during the interest periods.  See “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — U.K. Regulators Will No Longer Persuade or Compel Banks to Submit Rates for Calculation of LIBOR After 2021; Interest Rate Benchmark May Be Discontinued” and “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes — Regulation and Reform of “Benchmarks”, Including LIBOR and Other Types of Benchmarks, May Cause such “Benchmarks” to Perform Differently Than in the Past, or to Disappear Entirely, or Have Other Consequences Which Cannot be Predicted” for more information about 3-month USD LIBOR.

You should not take the historical levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate as an indication of future levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rates. We cannot give you any assurance that the future levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate will result in your receiving a return on your notes that is greater than the return you would have realized if you invested in a debt security of comparable maturity that bears interest at a prevailing market rate.

Neither we nor any of our affiliates make any representation to you as to the performance of the 3-month USD LIBOR. The actual levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate may bear little relation to the historical levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate shown below.

The graph below shows the daily historical last levels of the 3-month USD LIBOR rate from April 17, 2009 through April 17, 2019. We obtained the last levels in the graph below from Reuters, without independent verification.

 

Historical Performance of 3-month USD LIBOR

 

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL DISCUSSION OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following section supplements the discussion of U.S. federal income taxation in the accompanying prospectus.

The following section is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, counsel to GS Finance Corp. and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. It applies to you only if you hold your notes as a capital asset for tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:

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. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

You should consult your tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax, and other tax consequences of your investment 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.

United States Holders

This subsection describes the tax consequences to a United States holder. You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of notes and you are:

If you are not a United States holder, this section does not apply to you and you should refer to “— United States Alien Holders” below.

Tax Treatment. The notes will be treated as variable rate debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under this characterization, it is the opinion of Sidley Austin llp that you should include the interest payments on the notes in ordinary income at the time you receive or accrue such payments, depending on your regular method of accounting for tax purposes.

You will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, exchange, redemption or maturity of your notes in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash you receive at such time (other than amounts representing accrued and unpaid interest, which will be taxable as such) and your adjusted basis in your 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. See the discussion under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Holders — Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus for more information.

If you purchase the notes at a discount to the principal amount of the notes, you may be subject to the rules governing market discount as described under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Holders — Market Discount” in the accompanying prospectus. If you purchase the notes at a premium to the principal amount of the notes, you will be subject to the rules governing premium as described under “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Holders — Debt Securities Purchased at a Premium” in the accompanying prospectus.

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United States Alien Holders

If you are a United States alien holder, please see the discussion under “United States Taxation —Taxation of Debt Securities — United States Alien Holders” in the accompanying prospectus for a description of the tax consequences relevant to you. You are a United States alien holder if you are the beneficial owner of the notes and are, 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 the FATCA withholding rules. Pursuant to recently proposed regulations, the Treasury Department has indicated its intent to eliminate the requirements under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, maturity or other disposition of relevant financial instruments. The Treasury Department has indicated that taxpayers may rely on these proposed regulations pending their finalization.

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EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

This section is only relevant to you if you are an insurance company or the fiduciary of a pension plan or an employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan, an IRA or a Keogh Plan) proposing to invest in the notes.

The U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), prohibit certain transactions (“prohibited transactions”) involving the assets of an employee benefit plan that is subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (including individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and other plans described in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code) (a “Plan”) and certain persons who are “parties in interest” (within the meaning of ERISA) or “disqualified persons” (within the meaning of the Code) with respect to the Plan; governmental plans may be subject to similar prohibitions unless an exemption applies to the transaction. The assets of a Plan may include assets held in the general account of an insurance company that are deemed “plan assets” under ERISA or assets of certain investment vehicles in which the Plan invests. Each of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and certain of its affiliates may be considered a “party in interest” or a “disqualified person” with respect to many Plans, and, accordingly, prohibited transactions may arise if the notes are acquired by or on behalf of a Plan unless those notes are acquired and held pursuant to an available exemption. In general, available exemptions are: transactions effected on behalf of that Plan by a “qualified professional asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 84-14) or an “in-house asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 96-23), transactions involving insurance company general accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 95-60), transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 90-1), transactions involving bank collective investment funds (prohibited transaction exemption 91-38) and transactions with service providers under Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code where the Plan receives no less and pays no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code). The person making the decision on behalf of a Plan or a governmental plan shall be deemed, on behalf of itself and the plan, by purchasing and holding the notes, or exercising any rights related thereto, to represent that (a) the plan will receive no less and pay no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code) in connection with the purchase and holding of the notes, (b) none of the purchase, holding or disposition of the notes or the exercise of any rights related to the notes will result in a nonexempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code (or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation), and (c) neither The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. nor any of its affiliates is a “fiduciary” (within the meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA) or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation) with respect to the purchaser or holder in connection with such person’s acquisition, disposition or holding of the notes, or as a result of any exercise by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or any of its affiliates of any rights in connection with the notes, and neither The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. nor any of its affiliates has provided investment advice in connection with such person’s acquisition, disposition or holding of the notes.

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has agreed to sell to GS&Co., and GS&Co. has agreed to purchase from The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the aggregate principal amount of the offered notes specified on the front cover of this prospectus 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 prospectus supplement.

In the future, GS&Co. or other affiliates of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. may repurchase and resell the offered notes in market-making transactions, with resales being made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of resale or at negotiated prices. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $15,000. For more information about the plan of distribution and possible market-making activities, see “Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus.

We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on April 23, 2019. 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 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.

 

Any notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. For the purposes of this provision:

(a)the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:

(b)the expression an “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes.

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), GS&Co. has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement to the public in that Relevant Member State except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of such notes may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State:

a)at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

b)at any time to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant dealer or dealers nominated by the issuer for any such offer; or

c)at any time in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of notes referred to above shall require us or any dealer to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms

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of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of the notes may only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

All applicable provisions of the FSMA must be complied with in respect to anything done by any person in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

The notes may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance; and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere) which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.

This prospectus supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA. 

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore (“Regulation 32”).

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the

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benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.

The notes are not offered, sold or advertised, directly or indirectly, in, into or from Switzerland on the basis of a public offering and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other offering or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Accordingly, neither this prospectus supplement nor any accompanying prospectus supplement, prospectus or other marketing material constitute a prospectus as defined in article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus as defined in article 32 of the Listing Rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Any resales of the notes by the underwriters thereof may only be undertaken on a private basis to selected individual investors in compliance with Swiss law. This prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to others or otherwise made available in Switzerland without our prior written consent. By accepting this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement or by subscribing to the notes, investors are deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to abide by these restrictions. Investors are advised to consult with their financial, legal or tax advisers before investing in the notes.

Conflicts of Interest

GS&Co. is an affiliate of 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.

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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES

In the opinion of Sidley Austin llp, as counsel to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., when the notes offered by this prospectus supplement have been executed and issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and delivered against payment as contemplated herein, such notes will be valid and binding obligations of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture and the genuineness of signatures and certain factual matters, all as stated in the letter of such counsel dated July 10, 2017, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.5 to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.’s registration statement on form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 10, 2017.

 

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