Filed
pursuant to Rule 433
February
5, 2008
Relating
to Preliminary Pricing Supplement No.491 to
Registration
Statement Nos. 333-137691, 333-137691-02
Dated
September 29, 2006
|
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V. Reverse Exchangeable Securities
S-NOTESSM
|
Preliminary
Pricing Sheet –
February 5,
2008
|
10.50%
(ANNUALIZED)
SIX
MONTH
NOBLE
CORPORATION
KNOCK-IN
REXSM
SECURITIES
DUE
AUGUST
29,
2008
|
OFFERING
PERIOD:
FEBRUARY
5,
2008 –
FEBRUARY
26,
2008
|
|
SUMMARY
INFORMATION
|
|
|
Issuer:
|
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V. (Senior Long
Term Debt Rating: Moody’s
Aa2, S&P
AA-)
|
|
Lead
Agent:
|
ABN
AMRO
Incorporated
|
|
Offerings:
|
10.50%
(Per Annum), Six Month
Reverse Exchangeable Securities due August 29, 2008 linked to the
Underlying Stock set forth in the table below.
|
|
Interest
Payment
Dates:
|
Interest
on the Securities is
payable monthly in arrears on the last day of each month starting
on March
31, 2008 and ending on the Maturity Date.
|
|
Underlying
Stock
|
Ticker
|
Coupon
Rate
Per
annum*
|
Interest
Rate
|
Put
Premium
|
Knock-in
Level
|
CUSIP
|
ISIN
|
|
Noble
Corporation
|
NE
|
10.50%
|
3.01%
|
7.49%
|
75%
|
00083GBE3
|
US00083GBE35
|
| |
*This
Security has a term of six
months, so you will receive a pro rated amount of this per annum
rate
based on such six-month period.
|
|
Denomination/Principal:
|
$1,000
|
|
Issue
Price:
|
100%
|
|
Payment
at
Maturity:
|
The
payment at maturity for each
Security is based on the performance of the Underlying Stock linked
to
such Security:
i)
If
the closing price of the
applicable Underlying Stock on the primary U.S.
exchange or market for such
Underlying Stock has not fallen below the
applicable Knock-In
Level on any trading day from but not including the Pricing Date
to and
including the Determination Date, we will pay you the principal amount
of
each Security in cash.
ii)
If
the closing price of the
applicable Underlying Stock on the
primary U.S. exchange
or market for such Underlying Stock has fallen below the applicable
Knock-In Level on any trading day from but not including the Pricing
Date
to and including the Determination Date:
a)
we
will deliver to you a number of
shares of the
applicable Underlying Stock equal to the applicable Stock Redemption
Amount, in the event that the closing price of the applicable Underlying
Stock on the Determination Date is below the applicable Initial Price;
or
b)
we
will pay you the principal amount
of each Security in
cash, in the event that the closing price of the applicable Underlying
Stock on the Determination Date is at or above the applicable Initial
Price.
You
will receive cash in lieu of
fractional shares. If due to events beyond our reasonable
control, as
determined by us in our sole discretion, shares of the Underlying
Stock
are not available for delivery at maturity we may pay you, in lieu
of the
Stock Redemption Amount, the cash value of the Stock Redemption Amount,
determined
by multiplying the Stock
Redemption Amount by the Closing Price of the Underlying Stock on
the
Determination Date.
|
|
Initial
Price:
|
100%
of the Closing Price of the
applicable Underlying Stock on the Pricing Date.
|
|
Stock
Redemption
Amount:
|
For
each $1,000 principal amount
of Security, a number of shares of the applicable Underlying Stock
linked
to such Security equal to $1,000 divided by the applicable Initial
Price.
|
|
Knock-In
Level:
|
A
percentage of the applicable
Initial Price as set forth in the table
above.
|
|
Indicative
Secondary
Pricing:
|
•
Internet
at: www.s-notes.com
•
Bloomberg
at: REXS2
<GO>
|
|
Status:
|
Unsecured,
unsubordinated
obligations of the Issuer
|
|
Trustee:
|
Wilmington
Trust
Company
|
|
Securities
Administrator:
|
Citibank,
N.A.
|
|
Settlement:
|
DTC,
Book Entry,
Transferable
|
|
Selling
Restrictions:
|
Sales
in the European Union must
comply with the Prospectus Directive
|
|
Proposed
Pricing
Date:
|
February
26, 2008, subject to
certain adjustments as described in the related pricing
supplement
|
|
Proposed
Settlement
Date:
|
February
29,
2008
|
|
Determination
Date:
|
February
26, 2008, subject to
certain adjustments as described in the related pricing
supplement
|
|
Maturity
Date:
|
February
29,
2008 (Six
Months)
|
ABN
AMRO has
filed a registration statement (including a Prospectus and Prospectus
Supplement) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates.
Before you invest, you should read the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement
in
that registration statement and other documents ABN AMRO has filed with the
SEC
for more complete information about ABN AMRO and the offering of the
Securities.
You
may get
these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov
or
by visiting ABN AMRO Holding N.V. on the SEC website at
<http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=&CIK=abn&filenum=&State=&SIC=&owner=include&action=get
company.> Alternatively, ABN AMRO, any underwriter or any dealer
participating in the offering will arrange to send you the Prospectus and
Prospectus Supplement if you request it by calling toll free (888)
644-2048.
These
Securities may not be offered or sold (i) to any person/entity listed on
sanctions lists of the European Union, United States or any other applicable
local competent authority; (ii) within the territory of Cuba, Sudan, Iran and
Myanmar; (iii) to residents in Cuba, Sudan, Iran or Myanmar; or (iv) to Cuban
Nationals, wherever located.
SUMMARY
This
prospectus
relates to one offering of Securities. The purchaser of any offering will
acquire a Security linked to a single Underlying Stock.
The
following
summary does not contain all the information that may be important to you.
You
should read this summary together with the more detailed information that is
contained in the related Pricing Supplement and in its accompanying Prospectus
and Prospectus Supplement. You should carefully consider, among other things,
the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” in the related Pricing Supplement, which
are summarized on page 5 of this document. In addition, we urge you
to consult with your investment, legal, accounting, tax and other advisors
with
respect to any investment in the Securities.
What
are the
Securities?
The
Securities are
interest paying, non-principal protected securities issued by us, ABN AMRO
Bank
N.V., and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by our parent company, ABN
AMRO Holding N.V. The Securities are senior notes of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. These
Securities combine certain features of debt and equity by offering a fixed
interest rate on the principal amount while the payment at maturity is
determined based on the performance of the Underlying Stock to which it is
linked.
What
will I
receive at maturity of the Securities?
The
payment at
maturity of each Security will depend on (i) whether or not the closing price
of
the Underlying Stock to which such Security is linked fell below the knock-in
level on any trading day during the Knock-in Period, and if so, (ii) the closing
price of the applicable Underlying Stock on the determination date. To determine
closing prices, we look at the prices quoted by the relevant
exchange.
| |
•
|
If
the closing
price of the applicable Underlying Stock on the relevant exchange has
not
fallen below the applicable knock-in level on any trading day during
the
Knock-in Period, we will pay you the principal amount of each Security
in
cash. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
•
|
If
the closing
price of the applicable Underlying Stock on the relevant exchange has
fallen below the applicable knock-in level on any trading day during
the
Knock-in Period, we will either: |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
•
|
deliver
to you
the applicable stock redemption amount, in exchange for each Security,
in
the event that the closing price of the applicable Underlying Stock
is
below the applicable initial price on the determination date;
or
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
•
|
pay
you the
principal amount of each Security in cash, in the event that the
closing
price of the applicable Underlying Stock is at or above the applicable
initial price on the determination
date
|
If
due to events
beyond our reasonable control, as determined by us in our sole discretion,
shares of the Underlying Stock are not available for delivery at maturity we
may
pay you, in lieu of the Stock Redemption Amount, the cash value of the Stock
Redemption Amount, determined by multiplying the Stock Redemption Amount by
the
Closing Price of the Underlying Stock on the Determination Date.
Why
is the
interest rate on the Securities higher than the interest rate payable on your
conventional debt securities with the same maturity?
The
Securities offer
a higher interest rate than the yield that would be payable on a conventional
debt security with the same maturity issued by us or an issuer with a comparable
credit rating. This is because you, the investor in the Securities, indirectly
sell a put option to us on the shares of the applicable Underlying Stock. The
premium due to you for this put option is combined with a market interest rate
on our senior debt to produce the higher interest rate on the
Securities.
What
are the
consequences of the indirect put option that I have sold
you?
The
put option you
indirectly sell to us creates the feature of exchangeability. If the closing
price of the applicable Underlying Stock on the relevant exchange falls below
the applicable Knock-In Level on any trading day during the Knock-In Period,
and
on the Determination Date the closing price of the applicable Underlying Stock
is less than the applicable Initial Price, you will receive the applicable
Stock
Redemption Amount. The market value of the shares of such Underlying
Stock at the time you receive those shares will be less than the principal
amount of the Securities and could be zero. Therefore you are not guaranteed
to
receive any return of principal at maturity.
How
is the
Stock Redemption Amount determined?
The
Stock Redemption
Amount for each $1,000 principal amount of any Security is equal to $1,000
divided by the Initial Price of the Underlying Stock linked to such Security.
The value of any fractional shares of such Underlying Stock that you are
entitled to receive, after aggregating your total holdings of the Securities
linked to such Underlying Stock, will be paid in cash based on the closing
price
of such Underlying Stock on the Determination Date.
What
interest payments can I expect on the Securities?
The
interest rate is
fixed at issue and is payable in cash on each interest payment date,
irrespective of whether the Securities are redeemed at maturity for cash or
shares.
Can
you give
me an example of the payment at maturity?
If,
for example, in
a hypothetical offering, the interest rate was 10% per annum, the initial price
of a share of underlying stock was $45.00 and the knock-in level for such
offering was 80%, then the stock redemption amount would be 22.222 shares of
underlying stock, or $1,000 divided by $45.00, and the knock-in level would
be
$36.00, or 80% of the initial price.
If
the closing price
of that hypothetical underlying stock fell below the knock-in level of $36.00
on
any trading day during the Knock-in Period, then the payment at maturity would
depend on the closing price of the underlying stock on the determination date.
In this case, if the closing price of the underlying stock on the determination
date is $30.00 per share at maturity, which is below the initial price level,
you would receive 22.222 shares of underlying stock for each $1,000 principal
amount of the securities. (In actuality, because we cannot deliver fractions
of
a share, you would receive on the maturity date for each $1,000 principal amount
of the securities 22 shares of underlying stock plus $6.66 cash in lieu of
0.222
fractional shares, determined by multiplying 0.222 by $30.00, the closing price
per shares of underlying stock on the determination date.) In addition, over
the
life of the securities you would have received interest payments at a rate
of
10% per annum. In this hypothetical example, the market value of those
22 shares of underlying stock (including the cash paid in lieu of fractional
shares) that we would deliver to you at maturity for each $1,000 principal
amount of security would be $666.66, which is less than the principal amount
of
$1,000, and you would have lost a portion of your initial
investment. If, on the other hand, the closing price of the
underlying stock on the determination date is $50.00 per share, which is above
the initial price level, you will receive $1,000 in cash for each $1,000
principal amount of the securities regardless of the knock-in level having
been
breached. In addition, over the life of the Securities you would have received
interest payments at a rate of 10% per annum.
Alternatively,
if
the closing price of the underlying stock never falls below $36.00, which is
the
knock-in level, on any trading day during the Knock-in Period, at maturity
you
will receive $1,000 in cash for each security you hold regardless of the closing
price of the underlying stock on the determination date. In addition, over
the
life of the securities you would have received interest payments at a rate
of
10% per annum.
This
example
is for illustrative purposes only and is based on a hypothetical
offering. It is not possible to predict the closing price of any of
the Underlying Stocks on the determination date or at any time during the life
of the Securities. For each offering, we will set the Initial Price,
Knock-In Level and Stock Redemption Amount on the Pricing Date.
Do
I benefit
from any appreciation in the Underlying Stock over the life of the
Securities?
No.
The amount paid
at maturity for each $1,000 principal amount of the Securities will not exceed
$1,000.
What
if I
have more questions?
You
should read the
“Description of Securities” in the related Pricing Supplement for a detailed
description of the terms of the Securities. ABN AMRO has filed a
registration statement (including a Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement) with
the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest,
you should read the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement in that registration
statement and other documents ABN AMRO has filed with the SEC for more complete
information about ABN AMRO and the offering of the Securities. You
may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at
www.sec.gov. Alternatively, ABN AMRO, any underwriter or any dealer
participating in the offering will arrange to send you the Prospectus and
Prospectus Supplement if you request it by calling toll free (888)
644-2048.
RISK
FACTORS
You
should
carefully consider the risks of the Securities to which this communication
relates and whether these Securities are suited to your particular circumstances
before deciding to purchase them. It is important that prior to
investing in these Securities investors read the Pricing Supplement related
to
such Securities and the accompanying Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement to
understand the actual terms of and the risks associated with the
Securities. In addition, we urge you to consult with you investment,
legal, accounting, tax and other advisors with respect to any investment in
the
Securities.
Credit
Risk
The
Securities are issued by ABN AMRO
Bank N.V. and guaranteed by ABN AMRO Holding N.V., ABN AMRO’s
parent. As a result,
investors in the Securities assume the credit risk of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and
that of ABN AMRO Holding
N.V. in the event that ABN AMRO defaults on its obligations under the
Securities. Any obligations or Securities sold, offered, or
recommended are not deposits on ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and are not endorsed or
guaranteed by any bank or thrift,
nor are they insured by the FDIC or
any governmental agency.
Principal
Risk
The
Securities are not ordinary debt
securities: they are not principal protected. In addition, if the
closing price of the applicable Underlying Stock falls below the
applicable Knock-In Level
on any trading day during the Knock-In Period, investors in the Securities
will
be exposed to any decline in the price of the applicable Underlying Stock below
the closing price of such Underlying Stock on the date the Securities were
priced. Accordingly,
you may lose some
or all of your initial investment in the
Securities.
Limited
Return
The
amount payable under the Securities
will never exceed the original principal amount of the Securities plus the
applicable aggregate fixed coupon payment investors earn during the term of
the
Securities. This means that you will not benefit from any
price
appreciation in the applicable
Underlying Stock, nor will you receive dividends paid on the applicable
Underlying Stock, if any. Accordingly, you will never receive at
maturity an amount greater than a predetermined amount per Security, regardless
of how
much the price of the applicable
Underlying Stock increases during the term of the Securities or on the
Determination Date. The return of a Security may be significantly
less than the return of a direct investment in the Underlying Stock to which
the Security
is linked during the term of
the Security.
Liquidity
Risk
ABN
AMRO does not intend to list the
Securities on any securities exchange. Accordingly, there may be
little or no secondary market for the Securities and information regarding
independent market pricing
of the Securities may be limited. The value of the Securities in the secondary
market, if any, will be subject to many unpredictable factors, including then
prevailing market conditions.
It
is important to note that
many factors will contribute to the secondary market value of the Securities,
and you may not receive your full principal back if the Securities are sold
prior to maturity. Such factors
include, but are not
limited to, time to maturity, the price of
the applicable
Underlying Stock, volatility and interest rates.
In
addition, the price, if any, at which
we or another party are willing to purchase Securities in secondary market
transactions will likely be lower than the issue price, since the issue price
included, and
secondary market prices are likely to exclude, commissions, discounts or
mark-ups paid with respect to the Securities, as well as the cost of hedging
our
obligations under the Securities.
Tax
Risk
Pursuant
to the terms of the Knock-in
Reverse
Exchangeable Securities, we and every investor in the Securities agree to
characterize the Securities as consisting of a Put Option and a Deposit of
cash
with the issuer. Under this characterization, a portion of the
stated
interest payments on each Security
is treated as interest on the Deposit, and the remainder is treated as
attributable to a sale by you of the Put Option to ABN AMRO (referred to as
Put
Premium). Receipt of the Put Premium will not be taxable upon
receipt.
If
the Put Option expires unexercised
(i.e., a cash payment of the principal amount of the Securities is made to
the
investor at maturity), you will recognize short-term capital gain
equal to the total Put Premium received. If the Put Option
is exercised (i.e., the
final payment on the Securities is paid in the applicable Underlying Stock),
you
will not recognize any gain or loss in respect of the Put Option, but your
tax
basis in the applicable Underlying Stock received will be reduced by the
Put
Premium received.
Significant
aspects of the U.S.
federal income tax treatment of the
Securities are uncertain, and no assurance can be given that the Internal
Revenue Service will accept, or a court will uphold, the tax treatment described
above.
This
summary is limited to the federal
tax issues addressed herein. Additional issues may exist that are not
addressed in this summary and that could affect the federal tax treatment of
the
transaction. This tax summary was written in connection with
the promotion
or marketing by ABN AMRO Bank
N.V.
and the placement agent of the
Knock-in Reverse Exchangeable Securities, and it cannot be used by any investor
for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be asserted against the investor
under the Internal Revenue
Code.
You
should
seek your own advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent
tax advisor.
On
December 7, 2007,
the U.S. Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service released a notice requesting
comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts”
and similar instruments. While it is not entirely clear whether the
Securities are among the instruments described in the notice, it is possible
that any Treasury regulations or other guidance issued after consideration
of
the issues raised in the notice could materially and adversely affect the tax
consequences of ownership and disposition of the Securities, possibly on a
retroactive basis.
The
notice indicates
that it is possible the IRS may adopt a new position with respect to how the
IRS
characterizes income or loss (including, for example, whether the option premium
might be currently included as ordinary income) on the Securities for U.S.
holders of the Securities.
You
should consult
your tax advisor regarding the notice and its potential implications for an
investment in the Securities
Reverse
Exchangeable
is a Service Mark of ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
5