Zimmer Biomet (ZBH) 424B5 Prospectus supplement for primary offering

As Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Statement No. 333-229882

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. An effective registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT DATED NOVEMBER 8, 2019

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated February 26, 2019)

€            

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

                 % Notes due 20    

We are offering for sale €             aggregate principal amount of     % notes due 20     (the “notes”). We will pay interest on the notes annually in arrears on                  of each year, commencing on                     , 2020. Unless earlier redeemed, the notes will mature on                     , 20    . The notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and structurally junior to all of the existing and future indebtedness incurred by our subsidiaries.

We may redeem the notes prior to their maturity, in whole or in part, at any time at the applicable redemption prices described in this prospectus supplement under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.” We may also redeem the notes, at our option, in whole, but not in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to, but excluding, the redemption date, in the event of certain developments affecting United States taxation as described under the heading “Description of the Notes—Tax Redemption.” If we experience a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined under “Description of the Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event”) with respect to the notes, we will be required to offer to repurchase the notes at a repurchase price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase, as described under “Description of the Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event,” unless the notes have been previously redeemed or called for redemption.

The notes will be issued only in registered form in denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof.

Currently, there is no public market for the notes. We will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing application will be subject to approval by the New York Stock Exchange. If such a listing is obtained, we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

You should read carefully this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before you invest.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning onpage S-5 of this prospectus supplement and the risks discussed elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have filed or may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of certain risks you should consider in connection with making an investment in the notes.

	Public offering price		Underwriting discount		Proceeds, before expenses, to us
Per note		%		%		%
Total	€		€		€

The public offering price set forth above does not include accrued interest, if any, from November     , 2019 if settlement occurs after that date.

The underwriters expect to deliver the notes to purchasers in book-entry form only through Clearstream Banking S.A. (“Clearstream”)and Euroclear Bank SA/NV (“Euroclear”) on or about November     , 2019 (or such later date as may be agreed by us and the underwriters). This settlement date may affect trading of the notes. See “Underwriting.”

Joint Book-Running Managers

BNP PARIBAS J.P. Morgan MUFG SMBC Nikko

The date of this prospectus supplement is November     , 2019.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
Prospectus Supplement
About This Prospectus Supplement		S-ii
Notices to Prospective Investors		S-iii
Cautionary Statements Relating to Forward-Looking Information		S-v
Prospectus Supplement Summary		S-1
Risk Factors		S-5
Use of Proceeds		S-8
Currency of Payment		S-9
Capitalization		S-10
Description of the Notes		S-11
Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations		S-23
Certain European Union Tax Considerations		S-29
Underwriting		S-30
Legal Matters		S-37
Experts		S-37
Where You Can Find More Information		S-38
Prospectus
About This Prospectus		1
Risk Factors		1
Forward-Looking Statements		2
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		2
Use of Proceeds		2
Description of Equity Securities We May Offer		2
Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law		6
Description of Debt Securities We May Offer		9
Plan of Distribution		20
Legal Matters		21
Experts		21
Where You Can Find More Information		21

We are responsible for the information contained and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to give you any other information, and we do not take, and the underwriters do not take, any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document containing the information. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which contains the terms of this offering of notes. The second part is the accompanying prospectus dated February 26, 2019, which is part of our Registration Statement onForm S-3 (RegistrationNo. 333-229882). The accompanying prospectus contains a description of the debt securities we may offer and gives more general information, some of which may not apply to the notes offered hereby. The accompanying prospectus also incorporates by reference documents that are described under “Where You Can Find More Information” in that prospectus.

This prospectus supplement may add to, update or change the information in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein. If information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with information in the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein, the information in this prospectus supplement will apply and, to the extent inconsistent therewith, will supersede the information in the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein.

It is important for you to read and consider all information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in “Where You Can Find More Information” herein and in the accompanying prospectus.

The notes are offered globally for sale only in those jurisdictions in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom and elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers. The distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus we have authorized and the offering or sale of the notes in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who receive this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any such related free writing prospectus should inform themselves about and observe any applicable restrictions. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus we have authorized do not constitute an offer, or a solicitation on our behalf or on behalf of the underwriters or any of them, to subscribe to or purchase any of the notes, and may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by anyone, in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. See “Underwriting—Selling Restrictions.”

In this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise implies, references to “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including Zimmer, Inc.

Currently, there is no public market for the notes. We will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing application will be subject to approval by the New York Stock Exchange. If the application is approved, trading of the notes on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to begin within 30 days of the original issue date of the notes. If such a listing is obtained, we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time.

Reference in this prospectus supplement to “$,” “U.S. $,” “dollars” and “U.S. dollars” are to the currency of the United States of America; and references to “€” and “euro” are to the single currency introduced at the third stage of the European Economic and Monetary Union pursuant to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as amended from time to time.

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NOTICES TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

This prospectus supplement has been prepared on the basis that all offers of the notes will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus, as defined in the Prospectus Regulation, for offers of the notes. The expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded), and includes any relevant implementing measure in each member state (“EEA Member State”) of the European Economic Area (“EEA”).

Accordingly, any person making or intending to make any offer within the EEA of the notes should only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or the underwriters to produce a prospectus, as defined in the Prospectus Regulation, for such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do authorize, the making of any offer of notes through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters, which constitute the final placement of the notes contemplated in this prospectus supplement.

The notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended (“MiFID II”); (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended or superseded), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation. Consequently, no key information document required by EU Regulation No. 1286/2014 (as amended or superseded, “PRIIPs”) 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 PRIIPs.

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available any notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in relation to any retail investor in the EEA. For the purposes of this section, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any EEA Member State means 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 the notes, as the same may be varied in that EEA Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Regulation in that EEA Member State.

Solely for the purposes of the product approval process of each manufacturer, the target market assessment in respect of the notes has led to the conclusion that: (i) the target market for the notes is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in MiFID II and (ii) all channels for distribution of the notes to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the notes (a “distributor”) should take into consideration the manufacturers’ target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the notes (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers’ target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are only being distributed to, and are only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) and that are (1) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) or (2) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (each such person being referred to as a “Relevant Person”). This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and their contents are

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confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are directed only to Relevant Persons, and any person in the United Kingdom that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this prospectus supplement and/or the accompanying prospectus or any of their contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been approved for the purposes of section 21 of the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) by a person authorized under FSMA. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are being distributed and communicated to persons in the United Kingdom only in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply.

The notes are not being offered or sold to any person in the United Kingdom except in circumstances which will not result in an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Part VI of FSMA.

The notes are offered globally for sale only in those jurisdictions in the United States, Europe and elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering or sale of the notes in some jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who receive this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus should inform themselves about and observe any applicable restrictions. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by any person in any jurisdiction in which that offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make that offer or solicitation. See “Underwriting—Selling Restrictions.”

Stabilization

In connection with the issue of the notes, BNP Paribas (in this capacity, the “stabilizing manager”) (or any person acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) may over-allot the notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the notes at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, we cannot assure you that the stabilizing manager (or persons acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) will undertake any stabilization action. Any stabilization action may begin on or after the date on which adequate public disclosure of the terms of the offer of the notes is made, and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it must end no later than the earlier of 30 days after the issue of the notes and 60 days after the date of the allotment of the notes. Any stabilization action or over-allotment must be conducted by the stabilizing manager (or any person acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELATING TO FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference, may contain or incorporate “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). When used in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, the words “may,” “will,” “can,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “seek,” “believe,” “are confident that,” “predict,” “estimate,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “forecast,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “assume,” “guide,” “position,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions that are subject to significant risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• compliance with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement we entered into in January 2017;

• the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits from mergers and acquisitions will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time periods;

• the risks and uncertainties related to our ability to successfully integrate the operations, products, employees and distributors of acquired companies;

• the effect of the potential disruption of management’s attention from ongoing business operations due to integration matters related to mergers and acquisitions;

• the effect of mergers and acquisitions on our relationships with customers, vendors and lenders and on our operating results and business generally;

• the success of our quality and operational excellence initiatives, including our ongoing quality remediation efforts at our Warsaw North Campus facility;

• our ability to remediate matters identified in any inspectional observations or warning letters issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), while continuing to satisfy the demand for our products;

• challenges relating to changes in and compliance with governmental laws and regulations affecting our U.S. and international businesses, including regulations of the FDA and foreign government regulators, such as more stringent requirements for regulatory clearance of our products;

• the outcome of government investigations;

• competition;

• pricing pressures;

• changes in customer demand for our products and services caused by demographic changes or other factors;

• the impact of healthcare reform measures, including the impact of the U.S. excise tax on medical devices if such tax is not further suspended or repealed;

• reductions in reimbursement levels by third-party payors and cost-containment efforts of healthcare purchasing organizations;

• dependence on new product development, technological advances and innovation;

• shifts in the product category or the regional sales mix of our products and services;

• supply and prices of raw materials and products;

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• control of costs and expenses;

• our ability to obtain and maintain adequate intellectual property protection;

• our ability to form and implement alliances;

• changes in tax obligations arising from tax reform measures, including the European Union rules on state aid, or examinations by tax authorities;

• product liability, intellectual property and commercial litigation losses;

• our ability to retain the independent agents and distributors who market our products;

• our dependence on a limited number of suppliers for key raw materials and outsourced activities;

• changes in general industry and market conditions, including domestic and international growth rates;

• changes in general domestic and international economic conditions, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; and

• the impact of the ongoing financial and political uncertainty on countries in the Euro zone on our ability to collect accounts receivable in affected countries.

We discuss these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations in the “Risk Factors” section in our most recent Annual Report on Form10-K and our Quarterly Reports onForm 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2019 and September 30, 2019 and in any document that we have or may subsequently file with the SEC from time to time, as well as in the “Risk Factors” sections of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. While we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements. Consequently, you should not consider any list or discussion of such factors to be a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information about us and this offering. It does not contain all of the information that may be important to you in deciding whether to purchase the notes. We encourage you to read the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any related free writing prospectus we have authorized, and the documents that we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference herein and therein prior to deciding whether to purchase notes.

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

We are a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare. We design, manufacture and market orthopedic reconstructive products; sports medicine, biologics, extremities and trauma products; office based technologies; spine, craniomaxillofacial and thoracic products; dental implants; and related surgical products. We collaborate with healthcare professionals around the globe to advance the pace of innovation. Our products and solutions help treat patients suffering from disorders of, or injuries to, bones, joints or supporting soft tissues. Together with healthcare professionals, we help millions of people live better lives. We have operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sell products in more than 100 countries.

We were formed as a Delaware corporation in 2001. Our history dates to 1927, when Zimmer Manufacturing Company, a predecessor, was founded in Warsaw, Indiana. On August 6, 2001, we were spun off from our former parent and became an independent public company. On June 24, 2015, we completed our merger with LVB Acquisition, Inc., the parent company of Biomet, Inc. In connection with the merger, we changed our name from Zimmer Holdings, Inc. to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

Our principal executive offices are located at 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana 46580. Our telephone number is(574) 267-6131. Our Internet website address is www.zimmerbiomet.com. The information on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any related free writing prospectus.

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The Offering

The following summary contains information about the notes and is not intended to be complete. For a more complete description of the notes, please refer to the section in this prospectus supplement entitled “Description of the Notes” and the section in the accompanying prospectus entitled “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer.” Unless the context requires otherwise, all references to “we” and “our” in this “Prospectus Supplement Summary—The Offering” section refer to only Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. and not its subsidiaries.

Issuer Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

Notes Offered €             aggregate principal amount of     % notes due 20    .

Maturity Date The notes will mature on                     , 20    .

Interest and Payment Date Interest on the notes will accrue at a rate of     % per annum, payable annually in arrears on                 of each year, commencing on                     , 2020.

Currency of Payment All payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the notes, and additional amounts, if any, including any payments made upon any applicable redemption or repurchase of the notes will be made in euro. If euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the notes will be made in U.S. dollars until the euro is again available to us or so used. See “Description of the Notes—Issuance in Euro.” As such, investors will be subject to foreign exchange risks as to payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest that may have important economic and tax consequences. See “Risk Factors.”

Additional Amounts All payments in respect of the notes will be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, imposed or levied by the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any taxing authority thereof or therein, unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. If such withholding or deduction is required by law, we will pay to a holder who is not a United States person (as defined in “Description of the Notes”) such additional amounts on such notes as are necessary in order that the net payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, such notes to such holder, after such withholding or deduction will not be less than the amount provided in the notes to be then due and payable, subject to certain exceptions described in “Description of the Notes—Payment of Additional Amounts.”

Tax Redemption We may redeem the notes, at any time at our option, in whole, but not in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption, in the event that certain

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developments affecting United States taxation would cause us to pay additional amounts with respect to the notes, as described under the heading “Description of the Notes—Tax Redemption.”

Optional Redemption We may redeem the notes, at our option, either in whole at any time or in part from time to time. We may redeem the notes prior to                     , 20     (     months prior to their maturity date, the “Par Call Date”) at the “make-whole” redemption price described under the heading “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.” We may redeem the notes on or after the Par Call Date at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the redemption date. See “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.”

Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a
Change of Control Repurchase Event If we experience a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined in “Description of the Notes”) with respect to the notes, we will be required to offer to repurchase the notes at a repurchase price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to be repurchased to the date of repurchase, unless the notes have been previously redeemed or called for redemption. See “Description of the Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event.”

Denominations We will issue notes in minimum denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof.

Ranking The notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and will be structurally junior to all of the existing and future indebtedness incurred by our subsidiaries. At September 30, 2019, we had approximately $8.3 billion of indebtedness outstanding on a consolidated basis, $306.5 million of which was subsidiary indebtedness.

Restrictive Covenants The indenture governing the notes contains certain restrictions, including limitations that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to create or incur secured indebtedness and to engage in certain sale and leaseback transactions, in each case subject to certain exceptions. See “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer—Covenants” in the accompanying prospectus.

Use of Proceeds We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay at maturity the $500 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of our 4.625% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “2019 notes”) and, if any net proceeds remain after such use, we intend to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our unsecured multi-draw term loan facility (the “term loan”). See “Use of Proceeds.”

Further Issuances Subject to certain exceptions, we may from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of the notes, create and issue additional debt securities having the same terms (except for the issue

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date and, in some cases, the public offering price and the first interest payment date) as, and ranking equally and ratably with, the notes offered hereby in all respects, as described under “Description of the Notes—General.” Any such additional debt securities, together with the notes offered hereby, will constitute a single series of securities under the indenture governing the notes.

Listing Currently, there is no established public market for the notes. We will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing application will be subject to approval by the New York Stock Exchange. If the application is approved, trading of the notes on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to begin within 30 days of the original issue date of the notes. If such a listing is obtained, we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time.

Trustee Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

London Paying Agent Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch.

Registrar, Transfer Agent and Authenticating Agent U.S. Bank National Association.                                                              

Book-Entry The notes will be issued in registered book-entry form and will be represented by one or more global notes deposited with, or on behalf of, Elavon Financial Services DAC, or a nominee thereof, as common depositary for Clearstream and Euroclear and registered in the name of USB Nominees (UK) Limited or its nominee. Beneficial interests in any of the notes will be shown on, and transfers will be effected only through, records maintained by Clearstream and Euroclear and their participants, and these beneficial interests may not be exchanged for certificated notes, except in limited circumstances. See “Description of the Notes—Book-Entry Delivery and Settlement.”

Risk Factors Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” and other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a description of certain risks you should consider before investing in the notes.

Tax Considerations You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of acquiring, owning or disposing of the notes. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Certain European Union Tax Considerations.”

Marketing and Selling Restrictions The notes may be offered for sale in those jurisdictions in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom and elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers. You should carefully read and consider the information set forth in “About this Prospectus Supplement,” “Notices to Prospective Investors” and “Underwriting—Selling Restrictions” before investing in the notes.

Governing Law The indenture governing the notes offered hereby and the notes will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in the notes involves a high degree of risk. In consultation with your own financial and legal advisors, you should carefully consider all of the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus authorized by us, including the risk factors set forth below as well as the risk factors discussed in ourAnnual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December  31, 2018 and ourQuarterly Reports on Form10-Q for the quarters ended June  30, 2019 andSeptember 30, 2019 (which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus) before deciding whether an investment in the notes is suitable for you. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those we currently view to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In such a case, you may lose all or part of your original investment in the notes.

Risks Related to the Notes

The notes are effectively junior to the existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries.

The notes are our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations. The notes are not secured by any of our assets. Any future claims of secured lenders with respect to assets securing their loans will be prior to any claim of the holders of the notes with respect to those assets.

We are a holding company and our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities from us. Our subsidiaries have no obligation to pay any amounts due on the notes or to provide us with funds to meet our payment obligations on the notes, whether in the form of dividends, distributions, loans or other payments. In addition, any payment of dividends, loans or advances by our subsidiaries could be subject to statutory or contractual restrictions. Payments to us by our subsidiaries will also be contingent upon the subsidiaries’ earnings and business considerations. Our right to receive any assets of any of our subsidiaries upon their bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, and therefore the right of the holders of the notes to participate in those assets, will be effectively subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary’s creditors, including trade creditors. In addition, even if we are a creditor of any of our subsidiaries, our right as a creditor would be subordinate to any security interest in such assets of our subsidiaries and any indebtedness of our subsidiaries senior to that held by us. At September 30, 2019, we had approximately $8.3 billion of indebtedness outstanding on a consolidated basis, $306.5 million of which was subsidiary indebtedness. Such subsidiary indebtedness would be structurally senior to the notes.

The indenture governing the notes does not restrict the amount of additional unsecured debt that we may incur.

The indenture under which the notes will be issued does not place any limitation on the amount of unsecured debt that we may incur. Our incurrence of additional debt may have important consequences for you as a holder of the notes, including making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes, a loss in the trading value of your notes, if any, and a risk that the credit rating of the notes is lowered or withdrawn.

An investment in the notes by a purchaser whose home currency is not euro entails significant risks.

An investment in notes which are denominated and payable in a currency other than the currency of the country in which the purchaser is resident or the currency in which the purchaser primarily conducts its business or activities (in each case, the “home currency”) entails significant risks not associated with notes denominated and payable in the home currency. Accordingly, an investment in the notes by a purchaser whose home currency is not euro entails significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant changes in rates of exchange between the holder’s home currency and the euro and the possibility of the imposition or subsequent

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modification of foreign exchange controls. These risks generally depend on factors over which we have no control, such as economic, financial and political events and the supply of and demand for the relevant currencies. In recent years, rates of exchange between euro and certain currencies have been highly volatile, and each holder should be aware that such volatility may occur in the future. Fluctuations in any particular exchange rate that have occurred in the past, however, are not necessarily indicative of fluctuations in the rate that may occur during the term of the notes. Depreciation of euro against the holder’s home currency would result in a decrease in the effective yield of the notes below its coupon rate and, in certain circumstances, could result in a loss to the holder. An investment in the notes may also have important tax consequences as a result of any foreign currency exchange gains or losses. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Certain European Union Tax Considerations.”

If, as permitted by the indenture governing the notes, we make payments in U.S. dollars when we are unable to obtain euro, you will be exposed to significant risks if your home currency is not U.S. dollars.

If euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the notes will be made in U.S. dollars until euro is again available to us or so used. In such circumstances, the amount payable on any date in euro will be converted by us into U.S. dollars on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate (as defined under “Description of the Notes—Issuance in Euro”). On November 6, 2019, the closing euro/U.S. dollar rate of exchange was €1.00 = $1.1066, as quoted by Bloomberg L.P. The exchange rate quoted by Bloomberg L.P. does not purport to represent the Market Exchange Rate and, accordingly, may not be representative of the Market Exchange Rate as of such date. See “Description of the Notes—Issuance in Euro.” Any payment in respect of the notes so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an event of default under the indenture governing the notes. If your home currency is not U.S. dollars, any such payment will expose you to the significant risks described above under “—An investment in the notes by a purchaser whose home currency is not euro entails significant risks.”

In a lawsuit for payment on the notes, a noteholder may bear currency exchange risk.

The notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. Under New York law, a New York state court rendering a judgment on the notes would be required to render the judgment in euro. However, the judgment would be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment. Consequently, in a lawsuit for payment on the notes, investors would bear currency exchange risk until a New York state court judgment is entered. A federal court sitting in New York with diversity jurisdiction over a dispute arising in connection with the notes would apply the foregoing New York law.

In courts outside of New York, noteholders may not be able to obtain a judgment in a currency other than U.S. dollars. For example, a judgment for money in an action based on the notes in many other U.S. federal or state courts ordinarily would be enforced in the United States only in U.S. dollars. The date used to determine the rate of conversion of euro into U.S. dollars would depend upon various factors, including which court renders the judgment.

Holders of the notes are exposed to the consequences of denomination of a minimum specified denomination plus a higher integral multiple.

The notes will be issued in minimum denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof. As is the case with any issue of securities that have a denomination consisting of a minimum specified denomination (a “Specified Denomination”) plus a higher integral multiple of another smaller amount, it is possible that interests in the notes may be traded in amounts that are not a Specified Denomination. In such a case, a holder who, as a result of trading such amounts, holds a principal amount that is less than the Specified

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Denomination in its account with the relevant clearing system at the relevant time may not receive a definitive note in respect of such holding (should definitive notes be printed) and would need to purchase a principal amount of notes such that its holding amounts to the Specified Denomination.

Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks of your investment in the notes.

Our credit ratings are an assessment by rating agencies of our ability to pay our debts when due. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the notes. These credit ratings may not reflect the potential impact of risks relating to structure or marketing of the notes. Agency ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the issuing organization. Each agency’s rating should be evaluated independently of any other agency’s rating. In addition, ratings could be changed or withdrawn at any time for a variety of reasons. Downgrading or withdrawing the credit rating of our debt securities, or placing us on a watch list for possible future downgrading, would likely increase our cost of financing, limit our access to the capital markets and have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities, including the notes.

The trading market for the notes may be limited.

The notes are a new issue of securities for which no established trading market currently exists. Although we will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange, we cannot assure you that we will be able to list the notes or that the notes will remain listed. Even if the notes are listed, we cannot assure you that a trading market for the notes will develop or be maintained and we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time. If an active trading market does not develop for the notes, holders of the notes may not be able to resell them at all or at prices acceptable to them. Although the underwriters for this offering have advised us that they intend to make a market in the notes after completion of the offering, they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue market making at any time. The liquidity of any trading market for, and future trading prices of, the notes will depend on many factors, including, among other things, the number of holders of the notes, our operating results, cash flows, financial performance and prospects, prevailing interest rates, changes in our credit rating or outlook, the market for similar securities and the overall securities market, and may be adversely affected by unfavorable changes in these factors. Therefore, we cannot assure you as to the liquidity of any trading market for the notes.

We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event.

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined in “Description of the Notes”) with respect to the notes, we will be required to offer to repurchase the notes at a price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase, subject to certain exceptions. If we experience a Change of Control Repurchase Event, we cannot assure you that we would have sufficient financial resources available to satisfy our obligations to repurchase the notes. Our failure to repurchase the notes as required under the indenture governing the notes would result in a default under such indenture, which could have material adverse consequences for us and the holders of the notes. See “Description of the Notes—Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event.”

An increase in interest rates could result in a decrease in the relative value of the notes.

In general, as market interest rates rise, notes bearing interest at a fixed rate generally decline in value because the premium, if any, over market interest rates will decline. Consequently, if you purchase the notes and market interest rates increase, the market value of your notes may decline. We cannot predict the future level of market interest rates.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate the net proceeds to us from the sale of the notes will be approximately €                 (or approximately $                 using the closing euro/U.S. dollar exchange on November     , 2019 of €1.00 = $        , as quoted by Bloomberg L.P.), after deducting the underwriting discount and our offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay at maturity the $500 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of the 2019 notes. The 2019 notes mature on November 30, 2019 and bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.625% per annum. If any net proceeds remain after such use, we intend to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our term loan. As of September 30, 2019 and November 7, 2019, $210.0 million and $160.0 million, respectively, was outstanding under our term loan, which has a maturity date of December 14, 2020. Until the net proceeds from this offering have been used for these purposes, they may be temporarily invested in cash or short-term or other securities.

To the extent that the underwriters or their affiliates own any of the 2019 notes, they would receive their proportionate share of the net proceeds from this offering used to repay the 2019 notes at maturity. Further, to the extent that the underwriters or their affiliates are lenders under our term loan, they would receive their proportionate share of any net proceeds from this offering used to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our term loan. See “Underwriting.”

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CURRENCY OF PAYMENT

Initial holders will be required to pay for the notes in euro, and principal, including any payments made upon any redemption or repurchase of the notes, premium, if any, and interest payments in respect of the notes will be payable in euro.

If euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the notes will be made in U.S. dollars until euro is again available to us or so used. In such circumstances, the amount payable on any date in euro will be converted by us into U.S. dollars on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate. Any payment in respect of the notes so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an event of default under the notes or the indenture governing the notes. See “Description of the Notes—Issuance in Euro.”

On November 6, 2019, the closing euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate was €1.00 = $1.1066, as quoted by Bloomberg L.P. The exchange rate quoted by Bloomberg L.P. does not purport to represent the Market Exchange Rate and, accordingly, may not be representative of the Market Exchange Rate as of such date.

Investors will be subject to foreign exchange risks as to payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest that may have important economic and tax consequences to them. See “Risk Factors” beginning on pageS-5 of this prospectus supplement. You should consult your own financial and legal advisors as to the risks involved in an investment in the notes.

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth, as of September 30, 2019, our cash and cash equivalents, total short-term debt, total long-term debt and total stockholders’ equity on an actual basis and as adjusted to give effect to the sale of the notes and the receipt of approximately €                 of the net proceeds from this offering to repay at maturity the 2019 notes and, if any net proceeds remain after such use, to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our term loan. See “Use of Proceeds.” You should read this table in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

	At September 30, 2019
	Actual			As Adjusted
	(Dollars in millions)(1)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	512.5		$	512.5
Short-term debt (including current portion of long-term debt):
4.625% Senior Notes due 2019	$	500.0		$	—
2.700% Senior Notes due 2020		1,500.0			1,500.0
Other short-term debt		1,773.9			1,773.9
Short-term debt (including current portion of long-term debt)	$	3,773.9		$	3,273.9
Long-term debt:
Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility	$	—		$	—
Floating Rate Notes due 2021		450.0			450.0
3.375% Senior Notes due 2021		300.0			300.0
3.150% Senior Notes due 2022		750.0			750.0
3.700% Senior Notes due 2023		300.0			300.0
3.550% Senior Notes due 2025		2,000.0			2,000.0
4.250% Senior Notes due 2035		253.4			253.4
5.750% Senior Notes due 2039		317.8			317.8
4.450% Senior Notes due 2045		395.4			395.4
1.414% Euro Notes due 2022		545.1			545.1
2.425% Euro Notes due 2026		545.1			545.1
% Euro Notes due 20     offered hereby		—
Term Loan		210.0
Japan Term Loan A		108.7			108.7
Japan Term Loan B		197.8			197.8
Debt discount and issuance costs		(35.8	)
Adjustment related to interest rate swaps		8.4			8.4
Total long-term debt (excluding current portion)	$	6,345.9		$
Total stockholders’ equity	$	12,085.5		$	12,085.5
Total capitalization(2)	$	18,431.4		$

(1) Amounts associated with this offering in euro have been translated to U.S. dollars using the closing euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate of €1.00 = $1.0900, as quoted by Bloomberg L.P. on September 30, 2019.

(2) Total capitalization equals total long-term debt (excluding current portion) plus total stockholders’ equity.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The following description of the particular terms of the notes supplements and replaces, to the extent inconsistent therewith, the description of the general terms and provisions of the “debt securities” set forth under the caption “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer” in the accompanying prospectus. References in this section to “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., the issuer of the notes, and not to its subsidiaries.

The notes will be issued under an indenture dated as of November 17, 2009, between us and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “trustee”), and a supplemental indenture we will enter into with the trustee (as so supplemented, the “indenture”). The terms of the notes include those provisions contained in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We have summarized selected terms and provisions of the indenture below and in the accompanying prospectus. These summaries are not complete and are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, the actual provisions of the indenture, including the definitions contained in the indenture of some of the terms used below, and the notes. A copy of the indenture is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

General

The notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The notes will be effectively subordinated to all liabilities of our subsidiaries, including trade payables. Since we conduct many of our operations through our subsidiaries, our right to participate in any distribution of the assets of a subsidiary when it winds up its business is subject to the prior claims of the creditors of the subsidiary. This means that your right as a holder of our notes will also be subject to the prior claims of these creditors if a subsidiary liquidates or reorganizes or otherwise winds up its business. If we are a creditor of any of our subsidiaries, our right as a creditor would be subordinated to any security interest in such assets of our subsidiaries and any indebtedness of our subsidiaries senior to that held by us. At September 30, 2019, we had approximately $8.3 billion of indebtedness outstanding on a consolidated basis, $306.5 million of which was subsidiary indebtedness. Such subsidiary indebtedness would be structurally senior to the notes. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Notes—The notes are effectively junior to the existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries.”

The indenture does not limit the amount of notes, unsecured debentures or other evidences of indebtedness that we may issue under the indenture and provides that notes, unsecured debentures or other evidences of indebtedness may be issued from time to time in one or more series. We may from time to time, without giving notice to or seeking the consent of the holders of the notes, issue debt securities having the same terms (except for the issue date and, in some cases, the public offering price and the first interest payment date) as, and ranking equally and ratably with, the notes offered hereby. Any additional debt securities having such similar terms, together with the notes offered hereby, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the indenture; provided that if the additional debt securities are not fungible with the previously issued notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional debt securities will have a separate International Securities Identification Number. No such additional debt securities may be issued if an “event of default” (as such term is defined in the indenture and described in the accompanying prospectus) has occurred and is continuing with respect to the notes.

The notes will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons and in denominations of €100,000 or integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof.

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association will initially act as trustee under the indenture that governs the notes. Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch will initially act as paying agent (the “London Paying Agent”) and U.S. Bank National Association will initially act as registrar and transfer agent for the notes. The

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trustee will appoint and authorize U.S. Bank National Association to act initially as authenticating agent for the notes. Upon notice to the trustee, we may change the paying agent, registrar or transfer agent; provided, however, that, for so long as the notes are outstanding and the provisions of the European Council Directive 2003/48/EC on the taxation of savings income continue to have effect, we will maintain a paying agent in a member state of the European Union that is not obligated to withhold or deduct tax pursuant to the Directive, or any law implementing or complying with or introduced in order to conform to such Directive (so long as there is such a member state).

Principal and interest will be payable, and the notes will be transferable or exchangeable, at the office or offices or agency maintained by us for these purposes in London, initially the corporate trust office of the London Paying Agent, located at 125 Old Broad Street, Fifth Floor, London EC2N 1 AR, United Kingdom, in euro. Payment of interest on the notes may be made at our option by check sent to the registered holders.

No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of the notes, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.

The notes will be issued in registered book-entry form and will be represented by one or more global notes deposited with, or on behalf of, a common depositary for Clearstream and Euroclear and registered in the name of the common depositary’s nominee. Beneficial interests in any of the notes will be shown on, and transfers will be effected only through, records maintained by Clearstream and Euroclear and their participants, and these beneficial interests may not be exchanged for certificated notes, except in limited circumstances.

Principal Amount; Maturity and Interest

The notes will initially be limited to €                 in aggregate principal amount and mature on                 , 20    . The notes will bear interest at the rate of     % per annum from the date of original issuance, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or provided for. We will make interest payments on the notes annually in arrears on                  of each year, commencing on                     , 2020, to the holders of record at the close of business (whether or not a business day) on the immediately preceding                 . Interest on the notes will be computed on the basis of the actual number of days in the period for which interest is being calculated and the actual number of days from and including the last date on which interest was paid on the notes (or November     , 2019, if no interest has been paid on the notes), to, but excluding, the next scheduled interest payment date. This payment convention is referred to as ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) as defined in the rulebook of the International Capital Market Association.

If an interest payment date or the maturity date with respect to the notes falls on a day that is not a business day, the related payment of interest or principal, as applicable, will be made on the next business day as if it were made on the date the payment was due, and no interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after that interest payment date or the maturity date, as the case may be, to the date the payment is made. Interest payments will include accrued interest from and including the date of issue or from and including the last date in respect of which interest has been paid, as the case may be, to, but excluding, the interest payment date or the date of maturity, as the case may be.

As used in this prospectus supplement, a “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a (1) day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or in the place of payment for the notes are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, or (2) day on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer system (the TARGET2 system), or any successor thereto, is closed.

Issuance in Euro

Initial holders will be required to pay for the notes in euro, and principal, including any payments made upon any redemption or repurchase of the notes, premium, if any, and interest payments in respect of the notes will be payable in euro.

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If euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the notes will be made in U.S. dollars until euro is again available to us or so used. In such circumstances, the amount payable on any date in euro will be converted by us to U.S. dollars on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate (as defined below) on the second business day before that payment is due, or if such Market Exchange Rate is not then available, on the basis of the most recently available Market Exchange Rate on or before the date that payment is due. Any payment in respect of the notes so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an event of default under the notes or the indenture. Neither the trustee nor the London Paying Agent shall be responsible for obtaining exchange rates, effecting conversions or otherwise handlingre-denominations.

“Market Exchange Rate” means the noon buying rate in the City of New York for cable transfers of euro as certified for customs purposes (or, if not so certified, as otherwise determined) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Investors will be subject to foreign exchange risks as to payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest that may have important economic and tax consequences to them. See “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement.

On November 6, 2019, the closing euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate was €1.00 = $1.1066, as quoted by Bloomberg L.P. The exchange rate quoted by Bloomberg L.P. does not purport to represent the Market Exchange Rate and, accordingly, may not be representative of the Market Exchange Rate as of such date.

Optional Redemption

We may redeem the notes at our option, either in whole at any time or in part from time to time prior to                     , 20     (    months prior to their maturity date, the “Par Call Date”), upon not less than 30 or more than 60 days prior notice transmitted to the registered holders of the notes to be redeemed, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(1) 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed; and

(2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments (as defined below) of the notes to be redeemed, discounted to the date of redemption on an annual basis (ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA)) at the applicable Comparable Government Bond Rate (as defined below), plus                  basis points;

plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date. With respect to any such redemption, we will notify the trustee of the redemption price promptly after the calculation thereof, and the trustee will not be responsible for such calculation.

In addition, we may redeem all or part of the notes at any time or from time to time on and after the Par Call Date, at our option upon not less than 30 or more than 60 days prior notice transmitted to the registered holders of the notes to be redeemed, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the redemption date.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on the notes that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on the interest payment date to the registered holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the notes and the indenture.

On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or any portion of the notes called for redemption (unless we default in the payment of the redemption price and accrued interest). On or prior to the redemption date, we will deposit with the London Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of

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and accrued interest on the notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date. If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the trustee by a method the trustee deems to be fair and appropriate, or in the event that the notes are represented by one or more global notes, beneficial interests therein shall be selected for redemption by Clearstream and Euroclear in accordance with their respective applicable procedures therefor. If the notes are listed on any national securities exchange, Euroclear or Clearstream will select notes in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the notes are listed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if less than all of the notes are to be redeemed, no notes of a principal amount of €100,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.

“Comparable Government Bond” means, in relation to any Comparable Government Bond Rate calculation, at the discretion of an Independent Investment Banker (as defined below), a German government bond whose (a) maturity is closest to the maturity of the notes (assuming, for this purpose, that the notes mature on the Par Call Date) and (b) principal amount is approximately equal to the then outstanding principal amount of the notes, or if such Independent Investment Banker in its discretion determines that such similar bond is not in issue, such other German government bond as such Independent Investment Banker may, with the advice of the Reference Bond Dealers (as defined below), determine to be appropriate for determining the Comparable Government Bond Rate.

“Comparable Government Bond Rate” means the price, expressed as a percentage (rounded to three decimal places, with 0.0005 being rounded upwards), at which the gross redemption yield on the notes to be redeemed, if they were to be purchased at such price on the third business day prior to the date fixed for redemption, would be equal to the gross redemption yield on such business day of the Comparable Government Bond on the basis of the middle market price of the Comparable Government Bond prevailing at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such business day as determined by the Independent Investment Banker.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Bond Dealers that we appoint in good faith as the Independent Investment Banker from time to time.

“Reference Bond Dealer” means each of BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, MUFG Securities EMEA plc and SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited and their respective successors.

“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to each note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of the principal thereof and interest thereon that would be due after the related redemption date for such redemption (assuming, for this purpose, such note matures on the Par Call Date);provided,however, that, if such redemption date is not an interest payment date with respect to such note, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment thereon will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to such redemption date.

The notes are also subject to redemption prior to maturity if certain developments occur affecting United States taxation. If any of these developments do occur, the notes may be redeemed at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption. See “—Tax Redemption.”

Payment of Additional Amounts

All payments in respect of the notes will be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, imposed or levied by the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any taxing authority thereof or therein, unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. If such withholding or deduction is required by law, we will pay to a holder who is not a United States person (as defined below) such additional amounts on the notes as are necessary in order that the net payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the notes to such

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holder, after such withholding or deduction will not be less than the amount provided in the notes to be then due and payable, subject to the exceptions described below. This obligation to pay additional amounts shall not apply:

(1)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the holder, or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the holder if the holder is an estate, trust, partnership or corporation, or a person holding a power over an estate or trust administered by a fiduciary holder, being considered as:

(a)    being or having been engaged in a trade or business in the United States or having or having had a permanent establishment in the United States or having or having had a qualified business unit which has the United States dollar as its functional currency;

(b)    having a current or former connection with the United States (other than a connection arising solely as a result of the ownership of such notes, the receipt of any payment or the enforcement of any rights thereunder) or being considered as having such relationship, including being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States;

(c)    being or having been a personal holding company, a passive foreign investment company or a controlled foreign corporation for United States income tax purposes or a foreign personal holding company that has accumulated earnings to avoid United States federal income tax;

(d)    being or having been a“10-percent shareholder” of us as defined in Section 871(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Treasury regulations thereunder or any successor provision; or

(e)    being a bank described in Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code;

(2)    to any holder that is not the sole beneficial owner of such notes, or a portion of such notes, or that is a fiduciary, partnership or limited liability company, but only to the extent that a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, a beneficial owner or member of the partnership or limited liability company would not have been entitled to the payment of an additional amount had the beneficiary, settlor, beneficial owner or member received directly its beneficial or distributive share of the payment;

(3)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure of the holder or any other person to comply with certification, identification or information reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with the United States of the holder or beneficial owner of such notes, if compliance is required by statute, by regulation of the United States, any political subdivision thereof or any taxing authority therein or by an applicable income tax treaty to which the United States is a party as a precondition to exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

(4)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed otherwise than by withholding by us or the London Paying Agent (as the case may be) from the payment;

(5)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for a change in law, regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation that becomes effective more than 15 days after the payment becomes due or is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;

(6)    to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, excise, transfer, wealth, capital gains or personal property tax or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

(7)    to any withholding or deduction that is imposed on a payment to an individual and that is required to be made pursuant to any law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, any European Council Directive on the taxation of savings;

(8)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by the London Paying Agent from any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on such note, if such payment can be made without such withholding by at least one other paying agent;

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(9)    to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the presentation by the holder of such note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;

(10)    to any withholding or deduction that is imposed on a payment pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), and related Treasury regulations and pronouncements, or any successor provisions and any regulations or official law, agreement or interpretations thereof implementing an intergovernmental approach thereto; or

(11)    in the case of any combination of items (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9) and (10).

The notes are subject in all cases to any tax, fiscal or other law or regulation or administrative or judicial interpretation applicable to such notes. Except as specifically provided under this heading “—Payment of Additional Amounts,” we will not be required to make any payment for any tax, duty, assessment or governmental charge of whatever nature imposed by any government or a political subdivision or taxing authority of or in any government or political subdivision. Neither the trustee nor any paying agent shall have any responsibility or liability for the determination, verification or calculation of any additional amounts.

As used under this heading “—Payment of Additional Amounts” and under the heading “—Tax Redemption,” the term “United States” means the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision thereof), and the term “United States person” means any individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, including an entity treated as a corporation for United States income tax purposes, or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source.

Tax Redemption

If, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated under the laws) of the United States or any political subdivision thereof (or any taxing authority thereof or therein), or any change in, or amendments to, an official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, which change or amendment is announced or becomes effective on or after the date of this prospectus supplement, we become or, based upon a written opinion of independent counsel selected by us, will become obligated to pay additional amounts as described herein under the heading “—Payment of Additional Amounts” with respect to the notes, then we may at any time at our option, having given not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice to holders, redeem, in whole, but not in part, the notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

Sinking Fund

The notes will not be entitled to any sinking fund.

Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined below) occurs with respect to the notes, unless we have exercised our right to redeem the notes as described above, we will make an offer to each holder of notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 above that amount) of that holder’s notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the notes repurchased to the date of repurchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at our option, prior to any Change of Control (as defined below), but after the public announcement of an impending Change of Control, we will mail

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(or with respect to global notes, to the extent permitted or required by applicable Clearstream and Euroclear procedures or regulations, send electronically) a notice to each holder of the notes, with a copy to the trustee and the London Paying Agent, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase the notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent. The notice shall, if sent prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to repurchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice.

We will comply with the requirements ofRule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the notes, we will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the notes or the indenture by virtue of such conflict.

On the Change of Control Repurchase Event payment date, we will, to the extent lawful:

• accept for payment all notes or portions of notes (in minimum denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 above that amount) properly tendered pursuant to our offer;

• deposit with the London Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all notes or portions of notes properly tendered; and

• deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee, or to the London Paying Agent on behalf of the trustee, the notes properly tendered and accepted for repurchase, together with an officer’s certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being repurchased by us.

The London Paying Agent will promptly mail to each holder of notes properly tendered the purchase price for the notes. A new note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any notes surrendered will promptly be authenticated and sent (or caused to be transferred by book-entry) to each holder; provided, that each new note will be in a principal amount of €100,000 or an integral multiple of €1,000 above that amount.

We will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by us and such third party purchases all notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

We have no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a Change of Control, although it is possible that we would decide to do so in the future. We could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Change of Control, but that could increase the amount of debt outstanding at such time or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit ratings.

Definitions

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the notes are rated below Investment Grade (as defined below) by each of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies); providedthat a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating shall not be deemed

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to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus shall not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Repurchase Event hereunder) if the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply do not announce or publicly confirm or inform us that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control shall have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event). Neither the trustee nor any paying agent shall be responsible for monitoring our rating status, making any request upon any Rating Agency, or determining whether any Below Investment Grade Rating Event with respect to the notes has occurred.

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of our properties or assets and those of our subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than us or one of our subsidiaries;

(2) the adoption of a plan relating to our liquidation or dissolution; or

(3) the consummation of any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than us or one or more of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of our Voting Stock (as defined below).

“Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

“Investment Grade” means a rating of Baa3 or better by Moody’s (as defined below) (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s) and a rating ofBBB- or better by S&P (as defined below) (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P) or the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by us.

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.

“Rating Agency” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if either of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the notes or fails to make a rating of the notes publicly available for reasons outside of our control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning ofRule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by us as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be.

“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any person, capital stock of any class or kind the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such person, even if the right to so vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

Restrictive Covenants

The indenture contains certain restrictions, including limitations that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to create or incur secured indebtedness and to engage in certain sale and leaseback transactions, in each case subject to certain exceptions. See “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer—Covenants” in the accompanying prospectus.

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Events of Default

The events of default with respect to the notes are described in the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer—Events of Default.”

Information Concerning the Trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is the trustee under the indenture, and its affiliates maintain normal banking relations with us. An affiliate of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association may hold a portion of the 2019 notes and, to the extent it does, will receive its proportionate share of the net proceeds of this offering used to repay at maturity the 2019 notes. Further, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is also a lender under our term loan and will receive its proportionate share of any net proceeds from this offering used to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our term loan.

London Paying Agent

Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch is the paying agent for the notes.

Transfer Agent, Registrar and Authenticating Agent

U.S. Bank National Association is the transfer agent, registrar and authenticating agent for the notes.

Listing

Currently, there is no public market for the notes. We will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing application will be subject to approval by the New York Stock Exchange. If the application is approved, trading of the notes on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to begin within 30 days of the original issue date of the notes. If such a listing is obtained, we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time.

Book-Entry Delivery and Settlement

We have obtained the information in this section concerning Clearstream and Euroclear and their book-entry systems and procedures from sources that we believe to be reliable. Such information is provided herein solely as a matter of convenience and none of us, the underwriters or the trustee takes any responsibility for an accurate portrayal of this information. In addition, the description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

Global Clearance and Settlement

The notes will be issued in the form of one or more global notes in fully registered form, without coupons, and will be deposited with, or on behalf of, and registered in the name of the nominee of, a common depositary for, and in respect of interests held through, Euroclear and Clearstream. Except as described herein, certificates will not be issued in exchange for beneficial interests in the global notes.

Except as set forth below, the global note may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective nominees.

Beneficial interests in the global notes will be represented, and transfers of such beneficial interests will be effected, through accounts of financial institutions acting on behalf of beneficial owners as direct or indirect participants in Euroclear or Clearstream. Those beneficial interests will be in denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof. Investors may hold notes directly through Euroclear or Clearstream, if they are participants in such systems, or indirectly through organizations that are participants in such systems.

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Owners of beneficial interests in the global notes will not be entitled to have notes registered in their names, and, except as described herein, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of notes in definitive form. So long as the common depositary for Euroclear and Clearstream is the registered owner of the global notes, the common depositary for all purposes will be considered the sole holder of the notes represented by the global notes under the indenture and the global notes. Except as provided below, beneficial owners will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports delivered by us or the trustee pursuant to the indenture. Accordingly, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of the clearing systems and, if such person is not a participant of the clearing systems, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture. Under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or a beneficial owner desires to give or take any action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the indenture, the clearing systems would authorize their participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take action and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through the participants to give or take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners. Conveyance of notices and other communications by the clearing systems to their participants, by the participants to indirect participants and by the participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in certificated form. These limits and laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in the global notes.

Clearstream

Clearstream has advised that it is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg and licensed as a bank and professional depositary. Clearstream holds securities for its participating organizations and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream provides to its participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. Clearstream has established an electronic bridge with the Euroclear Operator (as defined below) to facilitate the settlement of trades between Clearstream and Euroclear. As a registered bank in Luxembourg, Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Commission for the Supervision of the Financial Sector. Clearstream customers are recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through, or maintain a custodial relationship with, a Clearstream participant, either directly or indirectly.

Distributions with respect to notes held beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash accounts of Clearstream participants in accordance with its rules and procedures.

Euroclear

Euroclear has advised that it was created in 1968 to hold securities for its participants and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash. Euroclear includes various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. Euroclear is operated by Euroclear Bank SA/NV (the “Euroclear Operator”). All operations are conducted by the Euroclear Operator, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator. Euroclear participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly.

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Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related operating procedures of Euroclear, and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the “Terms and Conditions”). The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear, and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no records of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear participants.

Distributions with respect to the notes held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of Euroclear participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.

Euroclear and Clearstream Arrangements

So long as Euroclear or Clearstream or their nominee or their common depositary is the registered holder of the global note, Euroclear, Clearstream or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the notes represented by such global note for all purposes under the indenture and the notes. Payments of principal, interest and additional amounts, if any, in respect of the global note will be made to Euroclear, Clearstream, such nominee or such common depositary, as the case may be, as registered holder thereof. None of us, the trustee, any underwriter and any affiliate of any of the above or any person by whom any of the above is controlled, as such term is defined in the Securities Act, will have any responsibility or liability for any records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global note or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Distributions of principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to the global note will be credited in euro to the extent received by Euroclear or Clearstream from the London Paying Agent to the cash accounts of Euroclear or Clearstream customers in accordance with the relevant system’s rules and procedures.

Because Euroclear and Clearstream can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of indirect participants, the ability of a person having an interest in the global note to pledge such interest to persons or entities which do not participate in the relevant clearing system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate in respect of such interest.

Initial Settlement

We understand that investors that hold their notes through Clearstream or Euroclear accounts will follow the settlement procedures that are applicable to conventional euro-denominated debt securities in registered form. Subject to applicable procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear, notes will be credited to the securities custody accounts of Clearstream and Euroclear participants on the business day following the settlement date, for value on the settlement date.

Secondary Market Trading

Because the purchaser determines the place of delivery, it is important to establish at the time of trading of any notes where both the purchaser’s and seller’s accounts are located to ensure that settlement can be made on the desired value date.

We understand that secondary market trading between Clearstream and/or Euroclear participants will occur in the ordinary way following the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to conventional euro-denominated debt securities in registered form.

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You should be aware that investors will only be able to make and receive deliveries, payments and other communications involving the notes through Clearstream and Euroclear on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

In addition, because of time-zone differences, there may be problems with completing transactions involving Clearstream and Euroclear on the same business day as in the United States. U.S. investors who wish to transfer their interests in the notes, or to make or receive a payment or delivery of the notes, on a particular day, may find that the transactions will not be performed until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, depending on whether Clearstream or Euroclear is used.

Clearstream or Euroclear will credit payments to the cash accounts of Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants, as applicable, in accordance with the relevant system’s rules and procedures, to the extent received by its depositary. Clearstream or the Euroclear Operator, as the case may be, will take any other action permitted to be taken by a holder under the indenture on behalf of a Clearstream customer or Euroclear participant only in accordance with its relevant rules and procedures.

Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of the notes among participants of Clearstream and Euroclear. However, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform those procedures, and they may discontinue those procedures at any time.

Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes

Subject to certain conditions, the notes represented by the global notes are exchangeable for certificated notes in definitive form of like tenor in minimum denominations of €100,000 principal amount and multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof if:

(1)    we have been notified that both Clearstream and Euroclear have been closed for business for a continuous period of 14 days (other than by reason of holiday, statutory or otherwise) or have announced an intention permanently to cease business or have in fact done so and no successor clearing system is available;

(2)    we, at our option, notify the trustee and the London Paying Agent in writing that we elect to cause the issuance of certificated notes; or

(3)    there has occurred and is continuing an event of default under the indenture governing the notes.

In all cases, certificated notes delivered in exchange for any global note or beneficial interest therein will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream (in accordance with their customary procedures).

Payments (including principal, premium and interest) with respect to notes in certificated form may be made at the office or agency maintained for such purpose in London (initially, the corporate trust office of the London Paying Agent) or, at our option, by check sent to the holders thereof at the respective addresses set forth in the register of holders of the notes, provided that all payments (including principal, premium and interest) on notes in certificated form, for which the holders thereof have given wire transfer instructions to the London Paying Agent at least ten business days prior to the applicable payment date, will be required to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the holders thereof, subject, in each case, to surrender of the notes to the London Paying Agent in the case of payments of principal or premium. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer, but payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge payable in connection with that registration may be required.

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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes. This discussion is based upon provisions of the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code (the “Treasury Regulations”), administrative rulings and judicial decisions in effect as of the date of this prospectus supplement, any of which may subsequently be changed, possibly retroactively, or interpreted differently by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. This discussion is for general information purposes only and is not tax advice.

Except where noted, this discussion deals only with a note held as a capital asset by a beneficial owner who purchases such note at original issuance at the first price at which a substantial portion of the notes is sold for cash to persons other than bond houses, brokers, or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers. This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxes and does not deal with all tax consequences that may be relevant to holders in light of their personal circumstances or particular situations, such as:

• tax consequences to dealers in securities or currencies, financial institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts,tax-exempt entities, insurance companies and traders in securities that elect to use amark-to-market method of tax accounting for their securities;

• tax consequences to accrual method taxpayers who are required to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than when such income is taken into account in applicable financial statements;

• tax consequences to persons holding notes as a part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive sale transaction or a straddle;

• tax consequences to entities treated as “passive foreign investment companies” for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

• tax consequences to U.S. holders, as defined below, whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar;

• tax consequences to certain former citizens or residents of the United States;

• alternative minimum tax consequences, if any;

• any state, local or foreign tax consequences; and

• estate or gift taxes.

If an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner or member generally will depend upon the status of the partner or member and the activities of the entity. If you are a partner or member in such an entity, you should consult your tax advisors.

If you are considering the purchase of notes, you should consult your tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you in light of your own specific situation, as well as consequences arising under the U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws or under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

In this discussion, we use the term “U.S. holder” to refer to a beneficial owner of the notes that is:

• an individual citizen or resident of the United States, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

• a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

• an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

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• a trust, if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) has a valid election in effect under the Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

We use the term “Non-U.S. holder” to describe a beneficial owner of the notes that is neither a U.S. holder nor a partnership or other entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

You should consult with your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income, franchise, personal property and any other tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes in light of your particular circumstances.

Certain Contingent Payments

In certain circumstances, we may choose or be obligated to pay amounts with respect to the notes in excess of the stated interest or principal on the notes and/or pay amounts in redemption of the notes prior to their stated maturity (see “Description of the Notes—Payment of Additional Amounts” and “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event”). The amount or timing of such payments may implicate the provisions of the Treasury Regulations relating to nonfunctional currency “contingent payment debt instruments.” Under the Treasury Regulations, the possibility that such a payment will be made will not affect the amount, timing or character of income recognized by a holder with respect to the notes if, as of the date the notes were issued, there is only a remote chance that such a payment will be made, the amount or timing of such payment is incidental or certain other exceptions apply. Also, under the Treasury Regulations, if a debt instrument provides for alternative payment schedules applicable upon the occurrence of a contingency, if the timing and amount of the payments that comprise each payment schedule are known as of the issue date, and if one of such schedules is significantly more likely than not to apply, the yield and maturity of the debt instrument are determined by assuming that the payments will be made according to that payment schedule. We intend to take the position that the contingencies associated with such payments on the notes should not cause the notes to be subject to the nonfunctional currency contingent payment debt instrument rules. Our determination is binding on a holder unless such holder discloses its contrary position in the manner required by the Treasury Regulations. Our determination is not, however, binding on the IRS, and if the IRS were to successfully challenge this determination, you might be required to accrue interest income at a higher rate than the stated interest rate on the notes, and to treat as ordinary income any gain realized on the taxable disposition of a note. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the notes will not be treated as nonfunctional currency contingent payment debt instruments. You are urged to consult your own tax advisors regarding the potential application to the notes of the nonfunctional currency contingent payment debt instrument rules and the consequences thereof.

Taxation of U.S. Holders

Interest Income

It is anticipated that the notes will be issued with no more than a de minimis amount (as set forth in the Treasury Regulations) of original issue discount. In such case, interest paid on the notes generally will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary interest income at the time such payments are accrued or received (in accordance with the U.S. holder’s regular method of tax accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes).

A U.S. holder that uses the cash method of accounting and that receives a payment of interest in euro (including a payment attributable to accrued but unpaid interest upon the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of a note) will be required to include in income the U.S. dollar value of the euro payment received (determined based on the spot rate on the date the payment is received), regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted to U.S. dollars at that time. A cash basis U.S. holder will not recognize exchange gain or loss on the receipt of interest income but may recognize exchange gain or loss attributable to the actual disposition of the euro received.

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A U.S. holder that uses the accrual method of accounting will, unless an election is made, accrue interest income in euro and translate that amount into U.S. dollars based on the average spot rate of exchange in effect for the accrual period or, with respect to an accrual period that spans two taxable years, at the average spot rate for the partial period within the applicable taxable year. Alternatively, an accrual method U.S. holder may elect to translate interest income into U.S. dollars at the spot rate on the last day of the accrual period (or the last day of the taxable year in the case of an accrual period that spans two taxable years) or, if the date of receipt is within five business days of the last day of the interest accrual period, the spot rate on the date of receipt. A U.S. holder that makes this election must apply it consistently to all debt instruments held by the U.S. holder at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies, and to any debt instruments thereafter acquired, and cannot change the election without the consent of the IRS. A U.S. holder that uses the accrual method will recognize exchange gain or loss with respect to accrued interest income on the date the interest payment (or proceeds from a sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition attributable to accrued interest) is actually received. The amount of exchange gain or loss recognized will equal the difference, if any, between the U.S. dollar value of the euro payment received (determined based on the spot rate on the date the payment is received) in respect of the accrual period and the U.S. dollar value of interest income that has accrued during the accrual period (as determined above), regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted to U.S. dollars. This exchange gain or loss generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss but will not be treated as interest income or expense, except to the extent provided in Treasury Regulations or administrative pronouncements of the IRS.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption, Repurchase or Other Taxable Disposition of the Notes

A U.S. holder will generally recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase by us or other taxable disposition of a note (except to the extent the amount realized is attributable to accrued interest not previously included in income, which will be taxable as ordinary interest income, as described above under “—Interest Income”) and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such note. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the note generally will be the U.S. dollar value of the euro used to purchase the note at the spot exchange rate on the purchase date. If the note is traded on an established securities market, as the notes are expected to be, a cash basis U.S. holder (and if it elects, an accrual basis U.S. holder) will determine the U.S. dollar value of the euro amount paid for the note on the settlement date of the purchase.

The amount realized on the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of a note for an amount in euro will generally be the U.S. dollar value of such euro based on the spot exchange rate on the date the note is disposed of; provided, however, that if the note is traded on an established securities market, as the notes are expected to be, a cash basis U.S. holder (and if it elects, an accrual basis U.S. holder) will determine the U.S. dollar value of such euro on the settlement date of the disposition. If an accrual method U.S. holder makes such election, such election must be applied consistently to all debt instruments held by the U.S. holder at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies, and to any debt instruments thereafter acquired, and cannot be changed without the consent of the IRS. If a note is not traded on an established securities market (or, if a note is so traded, but a U.S. holder is an accrual basis U.S. holder that has not made the settlement date election), a U.S. holder will recognize exchange gain or loss (taxable as ordinary income or loss) to the extent that the U.S. dollar value of the euro received (based on the spot rate on the settlement date) differs from the U.S. dollar value of the amount realized.

Except as discussed below with respect to exchange gain or loss, any gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder on a taxable disposition of the note will be capital gain or loss. If, at the time of the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of the note, a U.S. holder is treated as holding the note for more than one year, such capital gain or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss. Otherwise, such capital gain or loss will be a short-term capital gain or loss. In the case of certainnon-corporate U.S. holders (including individuals), long-term capital gains are generally eligible for reduced rates of U.S. federal income taxation. A U.S. holder’s ability to deduct capital losses may be limited. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the foreign tax credit implications of the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of a note.

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Gain or loss realized upon the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of a note that is attributable to fluctuations in currency exchange rates will be ordinary income or loss. Gain or loss attributable to fluctuations in currency exchange rates generally will equal the difference between (i) the U.S. dollar value of a U.S. holder’s purchase price for the note in euro, determined on the date the note is disposed of, and (ii) the U.S. dollar value of a U.S. holder’s purchase price for the note in euro, determined on the date the U.S. holder acquired the note (or, in each case, determined on the settlement date if the notes are traded on an established securities market, as the notes are expected to be, and the U.S. holder is either a cash basis or an electing accrual basis holder). Payments received that are attributable to accrued interest will be treated in accordance with the rules applicable to payments of interest described above. The exchange gain or loss will be recognized only to the extent of the total gain or loss realized by a U.S. holder on the sale, exchange, redemption, repurchase or other taxable disposition of the note, and generally will be ordinary income or loss.

Exchange of Foreign Currencies

A U.S. holder’s tax basis in the euro received as interest on or on the sale or other taxable disposition of a note will be the U.S. dollar value of such euro at the spot rate in effect on the date of receipt of the euro. Any gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of the euro will be ordinary income or loss.

Tax Return Disclosure Requirements

A U.S. taxpayer that participates in a “reportable transaction” will be required to disclose its participation to the IRS. Under the relevant rules, if the notes are denominated in a foreign currency, a U.S. holder may be required to treat a foreign currency exchange loss from the notes as a reportable transaction if this loss meets or exceeds the relevant threshold in the regulations ($50,000 gross loss in a single taxable year if the U.S. holder is an individual or trust, or higher amounts for othernon-individual U.S. holders), and to disclose its investment by filing Form 8886 with the IRS. Prospective purchasers should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Information reporting requirements generally will apply to interest on the notes and the proceeds of a sale of a note paid to a U.S. holder unless the U.S. holder is an exempt recipient (such as a corporation). Backup withholding will apply to those payments if the U.S. holder fails to provide its correct taxpayer identification number, or certification of exempt status, or if the U.S. holder is notified by the IRS that it has failed to report in full payments of interest and dividend income. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished timely to the IRS.

Non-U.S. Holders

The following discussion is a summary of material U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes held by a person who is a “Non-U.S. holder” as defined above.

Interest on the Notes

Subject to the discussions below concerning backup withholding and FATCA, payments of interest on the notes made to aNon-U.S. holder generally will be exempt from U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax under the “portfolio interest” exemption if theNon-U.S. holder properly certifies its foreign status (in the manner described below) and:

• is not a“10-percent shareholder” of us, as defined in Section 871(h)(3) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations;

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• such amounts are not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the U.S. by theNon-U.S. holder;

• is not a bank described in Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code; and

• is not a “controlled foreign corporation” that is related to us through stock ownership.

The portfolio interest exemption, and several of the special rules forNon-U.S. holders described below, generally apply only if you appropriately certify as to your foreign status. In order to meet this certification requirement, you must provide a properly executed IRS FormW-8BEN orW-8BEN-E, as applicable (or appropriate substitute or successor form) to us or our agent certifying under penalties of perjury that, among other things, you are not a U.S. person.

If you hold the notes through a securities clearing organization, financial institution or other agent acting on your behalf, you may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the agent. Your agent will then generally be required to provide appropriate certifications to us, either directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and other intermediaries, and in certain circumstances certifications as to the foreign status of partners, trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided. In addition, special rules apply to qualified intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the IRS.

If you do not satisfy the requirements described above for the portfolio interest exemption, payments of interest made to you on the notes will be subject to the 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, unless you provide us or our agent with a properly executed IRS FormW-8BEN orW-8BEN-E, or IRS FormW-8ECI as applicable (or appropriate substitute or successor form) claiming an exemption from (or a reduction of) withholding under an applicable income tax treaty or because the income is effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States.

If interest paid to aNon-U.S. holder is effectively connected with theNon-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, theNon-U.S. holder maintains a U.S. permanent establishment or fixed base to which such interest is attributable), then, although exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax (provided theNon-U.S. holder provides appropriate certification), theNon-U.S. holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such interest in the same manner as if suchNon-U.S. holder were a U.S. holder. In addition, if theNon-U.S. holder is a foreign corporation, such interest may be subject to a branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or lower applicable treaty rate).

Sale, Exchange, Redemption, Repurchase or Other Taxable Disposition of the Notes

Subject to the discussions below concerning backup withholding and FATCA, and except with respect to accrued but unpaid interest, which will be taxable as described above under “—Interest on the Notes,” you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and generally no tax will be withheld) on any gain realized on the sale, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note unless (i) you are an individual who has been present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and certain other conditions are met or (ii) such gain is effectively connected with the conduct by you of a trade or business in the United States.

If you are subject to U.S. federal income tax on the taxable disposition of the notes because you are described in (i) of the paragraph above, any gain realized by you from the sale, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of the notes generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate (or lower applicable treaty rate), which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses. If you are subject to U.S. federal income tax because you are described in (ii) of the paragraph above, any gain realized by you from the sale, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of the notes will be subject to tax on a net income basis as if you were a U.S. person, and if you are a foreign corporation, you may also be required to pay an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or lower applicable treaty rate).

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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of interest made to you, and any amounts withheld from such payments, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS. The IRS may make this information available under the provisions of an applicable tax treaty to the tax authorities in the country in which you are resident. Backup withholding generally will not apply to payments of interest and principal on a note to aNon-U.S. holder if you duly provide certification of foreign status such as an IRS FormW-8BEN orW-8BEN-E, as applicable (or appropriate substitute or successor form) described above under “—Interest on the Notes,” or if you otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person.

Payment of the proceeds of a sale or other disposition of a note effected by the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your foreign status and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. Information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, generally will apply to any payment of the proceeds of the sale of a note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a broker that has certain connections to the U.S. unless such a broker has documentary evidence in its records that you are aNon-U.S. holder and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability and any excess may be refunded if the proper information is provided to the IRS on a timely basis.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)

Pursuant to FATCA, foreign financial institutions (which term includes most foreign banks, hedge funds, private equity funds, mutual banks, securitization vehicles and other investment vehicles) and certain other foreign entities generally must comply with certain information reporting rules with respect to their U.S. account holders and investors or withhold tax on U.S. source payments made to such U.S. account holders (whether received as a beneficial owner or as an intermediary for another party). A foreign financial institution or such other foreign entity that does not comply with the FATCA reporting requirements will generally be subject to a 30% withholding tax with respect to any “withholdable payments.” For this purpose, withholdable payments generally include U.S. source payments otherwise subject to nonresident withholding tax (e.g., U.S. source interest income). An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury Regulations, may modify these requirements. We will not be obligated to make any “gross up” or additional payments in respect of amounts withheld on any payments with respect to the notes if we determine that we must so withhold in order to comply with FATCA in respect of the payments described above. Under certain circumstances, aNon-U.S. holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. U.S. holders andNon-U.S. holders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the FATCA provisions to them based on their particular circumstances.

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CERTAIN EUROPEAN UNION TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The EC Council Directive 2003/48/EC on the taxation of savings income, as amended (the “Directive”), has been repealed from January 1, 2017, in the case of Austria, and from January 1, 2016, in the case of all other member states of the European Union (subject toon-going requirements to fulfill administrative obligations such as the reporting and exchange of information relating to, and accounting for withholding taxes on, payments made before those dates). The repeal is meant to prevent overlap between the Directive and a new automatic exchange of information regime implemented under Council Directive 2011/16/EU on Administrative Cooperation in the field of Taxation (as amended by Council Directive 2014/107/EU). Council Directive 2011/16/EU (as amended) effectively implements the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s common reporting standard on automatic exchange of financial account information in tax matters and requires governments to obtain detailed account information from financial institutions and exchange that information automatically with other jurisdictions annually. Council Directive 2011/16/EU (as amended) is generally broader in scope than the Directive, although it does not impose withholding taxes. The agreements withnon-EU countries on the basis of the Directive are being revised to be aligned with Council Directive 2011/16/EU (as amended).

The discussion above is a general summary. It does not cover all tax matters that may be important to a particular investor. Each prospective investor should consult its own tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in the notes under the investor’s own circumstances.

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UNDERWRITING

BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, MUFG Securities EMEA plc and SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement (the “underwriting agreement”), each underwriter named below has agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to that underwriter, the principal amount of notes set forth opposite the underwriter’s name in the following table.

Underwriters	Principal amount of notes
BNP Paribas	€
J.P. Morgan Securities plc
MUFG Securities EMEA plc
SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited
Total	€

To the extent any underwriter that is not a U.S.-registered broker-dealer intends to effect sales of notes in the United States, it will do so through one or more U.S.-registered broker-dealers in accordance with the applicable U.S. securities laws and regulations.

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the notes included in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all the notes if they purchase any of the notes. The offering of the notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part. The underwriters may offer and sell notes through certain of their affiliates.

The underwriters propose to offer some of the notes directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and some of the notes to dealers at the public offering price less a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes. The underwriters may allow, and dealers may reallow, a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes on sales to other dealers. After the initial offering of the notes to the public, the representatives may change the public offering price and concession. If the notes are traded, they may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending on prevailing interest rates, the market for similar securities, our operating performance and financial condition, general economic conditions and other factors.

The following table shows the underwriting discount that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of the notes).

	Paid by us
Per note		%

We estimate that our total expenses for this offering will be approximately $            , excluding the underwriters’ discount.

Currently, there is no public market for the notes. We will use our reasonable efforts to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing application will be subject to approval by the New York Stock Exchange.

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If the application is approved, trading of the notes on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to begin within 30 days of the original issue date of the notes. If such a listing is obtained, we have no obligation to maintain such listing, and we may delist the notes at any time. The underwriters may make a market in the notes after completion of the offering but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice. We cannot assure you as to the liquidity of the trading markets for the notes or that an active public market for the notes will develop. If an active public trading market for the notes does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the notes may be adversely affected.

In connection with the offering, BNP Paribas (in this capacity, the “stabilizing manager”) (or any person acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) may over-allot the notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the notes at a higher level than that which might otherwise prevail. However, we cannot assure you that the stabilizing manager (or persons acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) will undertake any stabilization action. Any stabilization action may begin on or after the date on which adequate public disclosure of the terms of the offer of the notes is made and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it must end no later than the earlier of 30 days after the issue date of the notes and 60 days after the date of the allotment of the notes. Any stabilization action or over-allotment must be conducted by the stabilizing manager (or any person acting on behalf of the stabilizing manager) in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the representatives, in covering syndicate short positions or making stabilizing purchases, repurchase notes originally sold by that syndicate member.

Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market prices of the notes. They may also cause the prices of the notes to be higher than the prices that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions in theover-the-counter market or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

We have agreed that we will not, without the prior written consent of BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, MUFG Securities EMEA plc and SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited, during the period beginning on the date of this prospectus supplement and continuing until the business day following the closing date of this offering, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by us or our affiliates), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by us (other than the notes) or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

Extended Settlement

We expect to deliver the notes against payment therefor on or about November     , 2019, which is the fifth London business day following the date of this prospectus supplement (such settlement cycle being referred to as “T+5”). Under the EU Central Securities Depositaries Regulation, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two London business days unless the parties to such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes earlier than the second London business day before November     , 2019 will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle T+5, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement, and so should consult their own advisors.

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Other Relationships

The underwriters and their affiliates are full service financial institutions that have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking, lending and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of their business with us or our affiliates, including participating as lenders under our credit facilities, for which they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. To the extent that the underwriters or their affiliates own any of the 2019 notes, they would receive their proportionate share of the net proceeds from this offering used to repay the 2019 notes at maturity. Further, to the extent that the underwriters or their affiliates are lenders under our term loan, they would receive their proportionate share of any net proceeds from this offering used to repay a portion of borrowings outstanding under our term loan.

Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates that have a lending relationship with us routinely hedge, and certain other of those affiliates or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, such underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

This prospectus supplement has been prepared on the basis that all offers of the notes will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus, as defined in the Prospectus Regulation, for offers of the notes. The expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded), and includes any relevant implementing measure in each EEA Member State of the EEA.

Accordingly, any person making or intending to make any offer within the EEA of the notes should only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or the underwriters to produce a prospectus, as defined in the Prospectus Regulation, for such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do authorize, the making of any offer of notes through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters, which constitute the final placement of the notes contemplated in this prospectus supplement.

The notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended or superseded), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation. Consequently, no key information document required by PRIIPs 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 PRIIPs.

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Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available any notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in relation to any retail investor in the EEA. For the purposes of this section, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any EEA Member State means 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 the notes, as the same may be varied in that EEA Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Regulation in that EEA Member State.

Solely for the purposes of the product approval process of each manufacturer, the target market assessment in respect of the notes has led to the conclusion that: (i) the target market for the notes is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in MiFID II and (ii) all channels for distribution of the notes to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the notes (a “distributor”) should take into consideration the manufacturers’ target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the notes (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers’ target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are only being distributed to, and are only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation) and that are (1) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Order or (2) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (each such person being referred to as a “Relevant Person”). This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and their contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are directed only to Relevant Persons, and any person in the United Kingdom that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this prospectus supplement and/or the accompanying prospectus or any of their contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been approved for the purposes of section 21 of the FSMA by a person authorized under FSMA. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are being distributed and communicated to persons in the United Kingdom only in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply.

The notes are not being offered or sold to any person in the United Kingdom except in circumstances which will not result in an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Part VI of FSMA.

The notes are offered globally for sale only in those jurisdictions in the United States, Europe and elsewhere where it is lawful to make such offers. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering or sale of the notes in some jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who receive this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus should inform themselves about and observe any applicable restrictions. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by any person in any jurisdiction in which that offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make that offer or solicitation. See “—Selling Restrictions.”

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the notes described herein. The notes may not be publicly offered, sold or

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advertised, directly or indirectly, in, into or from Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange or on any other exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, and neither this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

The notes have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the notes nor any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any “resident” of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others forre-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

Each joint book-running manager (i) has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell in Hong Kong, by means of any document, any notes other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the laws of Hong Kong) (the “SFO”) and any rules made thereunder; or (b) 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) (the “CO”) or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the CO; and (ii) has not issued or had in its possession for the purposes of issue, and will not issue or have in its possession for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of 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 SFO and any rules made thereunder.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

Each joint book-running manager has acknowledged that this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, each joint book-running manager has represented and agreed that it has not offered or sold any notes or caused the notes to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any notes or cause the notes to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than:

(a) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the “SFA”)) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA;

(b) 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

(c) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

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Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is (a) 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; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the notes pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

(i) to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) orSection 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

(ii) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

(iii) where the transfer is by operation of law;

(iv) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

(v) as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018.

In connection with Section 309B of the SFA and the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018 (the “CMP Regulations 2018”), unless otherwise specified before an offer of notes, the Company has determined, and hereby notifies all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A(1) of the SFA), that the notes are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the CMP Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS NoticeFAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

Notice to Prospective Investors in Taiwan

The notes have not been and will not be registered or filed with, or approved by, the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan or any other regulatory authority of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which could constitute an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan or relevant laws and regulations that requires a registration, filing or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan or other regulatory authority of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the notes in Taiwan.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Arab Emirates

The notes have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the Dubai International Financial Centre) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) and is not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”)

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This prospectus supplement

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and the accompanying prospectus are intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

In relation to its use in the DIFC, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are strictly private and confidential and are being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The notes may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument45-106Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of theSecurities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument31-103Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the notes must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument33-105Underwriting Conflicts (NI33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the notes will be passed upon for us by Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. The underwriters have been represented by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference to theAnnual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. We have filed a registration statement onForm S-3 with the SEC covering the securities that may be sold under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. For further information concerning us and the securities being offered, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus summarize material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer you to. Because this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may not contain all the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. We have included copies of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus form a part.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information from other documents we file with the SEC, which means:

• incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus;

• we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

• information that we subsequently file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any information that was previously incorporated in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Until all of the securities to which this prospectus supplement relates have been sold or the offering is otherwise terminated, we incorporate by reference only the following documents and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, we do not incorporate by reference any Form SD or any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules:

• our Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, including information specifically incorporated by reference into that Annual Report on Form10-K from our DefinitiveProxy Statement on Schedule 14A for our 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2019;

• ourQuarterly Reports on Form10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2019,June  30, 2019 andSeptember 30, 2019; and

• ourCurrent Reports on Form8-K filed on May 16, 2019, June  19, 2019,September 17, 2019 andOctober  11, 2019.

We will provide each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus supplement is delivered, a copy of any or all information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the document) upon written or oral request and at no cost to the requester. Requests should be directed to: Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana, 46580, Attention: Corporate Secretary(574) 267-6131. We also make available, free of charge, on or through our Internet website (www.zimmerbiomet.com) our Annual Reports on Form10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form10-Q, Current Reports on Form8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Please note, however, that the information on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any related free writing prospectus.

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PROSPECTUS

ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Senior Debt Securities

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and any other information relating to an offering, will be set forth in a supplement to this prospectus, in any free writing prospectuses or in other offering material related to the securities, or may be set forth in one or more documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

The preferred stock may be convertible into common stock or into preferred stock of another series. The debt securities may be convertible into common stock or preferred stock. The warrants may be exercisable for common stock or preferred stock. We may offer the securities separately or together, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus and other offering material.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth their names and any applicable compensation, commissions or discounts. Our net proceeds from the sale of securities also will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our principal executive offices are located at 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana 46580. Our telephone number is(574) 267-6131. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ZBH.” If we decide to seek a listing of any securities offered by this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement will disclose the exchange or market on which such securities will be listed, if any, or where we have made an application for listing, if any.

You should read carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in our securities. This prospectus may be used to offer and sell our securities only if accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider therisk factors referred to on page 1 of this prospectus, in the applicable prospectus supplement, in any related free writing prospectus and in the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is February 26, 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
About This Prospectus		1
Risk Factors		1
Forward-Looking Statements		2
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.		2
Use of Proceeds		2
Description of Equity Securities We May Offer		2
Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law		6
Description of Debt Securities We May Offer		9
Plan of Distribution		20
Legal Matters		21
Experts		21
Where You Can Find More Information		21

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on FormS-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, as a“well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, using an automatic “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may, from time to time, sell our securities in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time we offer or sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to that offering. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, you should rely upon the information in the prospectus supplement or the related free writing prospectus; provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

Before making an investment in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information from that contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

Unless the context requires otherwise or unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms in this prospectus refer to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. However, in the “Description of Equity Securities We May Offer,” “Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law” and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer” sections of this prospectus, references to “we,” “us” and “our” are to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (parent company only) and not to any of its subsidiaries.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and the risks and uncertainties incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the information included under “Risk Factors” in ourAnnual Report onForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, as well as any modification, replacement or update to these risks and uncertainties that are reflected in any future filings we make with the SEC, as described under “Where You Can Find More Information” below, which will also be incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the prospectus supplement may contain or incorporate forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. You can identify these forward-looking statements by our use of the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “project, “target,” “forecast, “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “assume,” “guide” and similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained, and it is possible that our actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties.

These risks and uncertainties include those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and under the same heading in our most recent Annual Report onForm 10-K and Quarterly Reports onForm 10-Q. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information or otherwise. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.

We are a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare. We design, manufacture and market orthopedic reconstructive products; sports medicine, biologics, extremities and trauma products; office based technologies; spine, craniomaxillofacial and thoracic products; dental implants; and related surgical products. We have operations in more than 25 countries and sell products in more than 100 countries.

We were formed as a Delaware corporation in 2001. Our history dates to 1927, when Zimmer Manufacturing Company, a predecessor, was founded in Warsaw, Indiana. On August 6, 2001, we were spun off from our former parent and became an independent public company. On June 24, 2015, we completed our merger with LVB Acquisition, Inc., the parent company of Biomet, Inc. In connection with the merger, we changed our name from Zimmer Holdings, Inc. to Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

Our principal executive offices are located at 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana 46580. Our telephone number is(574) 267-6131. Our Internet website address is www.zimmerbiomet.com. The information on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus.

If you want to find more information about us, please see the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” in this prospectus.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of debt, share repurchases, financing capital commitments and financing future acquisitions.

DESCRIPTION OF EQUITY SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

The following is a description of the material terms of our capital stock. This description may not contain all of the information that is important to you. You should read our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and RestatedBy-Laws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, as well as the relevant portions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “DGCL”). The summary below is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, our RestatedBy-Laws and the DGCL.

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Authorized Stock

Our authorized capital stock consists of one billion shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 204,433,342 shares were outstanding as of February 15, 2019, and 250 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which none were outstanding as of that date. All outstanding shares of common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid andnon-assessable.

Common Stock

The holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. The holders of shares of our common stock are not entitled to cumulate their votes in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of our directors. The holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as our board of directors may from time to time, and in its discretion, declare from any funds legally available therefor.

The holders of shares of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive, subscription or conversion rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The holders of shares of our common stock are not subject to further calls or assessments by us. Upon our liquidation, after payment or provision for payment of all of our obligations and any liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock, the holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in our remaining assets.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ZBH.”

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

Preferred Stock

We currently have no shares of preferred stock outstanding. This section is only a summary of the preferred stock that we may offer. We urge you to read carefully our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the designation we will file in relation to an issue of any particular series of preferred stock before you buy any preferred stock. This section describes the general terms and provisions of the preferred stock we may offer by this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the series of the preferred stock then offered and any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations, and the terms and provisions described in this section will apply only to the extent not superseded by the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our board of directors may issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series and with the relative powers, privileges, rights and preferences and for the consideration our board of directors may determine.

Our board of directors may, without further action of the stockholders, determine and set forth in a designation, the following for each series of preferred stock:

• the designation of the series and the number of shares in that series;

• the dividend rate or rates, whether dividends shall be cumulative and, if so, from what date, the payment date or dates for dividends, and any participating or other special rights or conditions with respect to dividends;

• any voting powers of the shares;

• whether the shares will be redeemable and, if so, the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions on which, the shares may be redeemed;

• the amount or amounts payable upon the shares in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us prior to any payment or distribution of our assets to any class or classes of our stock ranking junior to the preferred stock;

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• whether the shares will be entitled to the benefit of a sinking or retirement fund and, if so entitled, the amount of the fund and the manner of its application, including the price or prices at which the shares may be redeemed or purchased through the application of the fund;

• whether the shares will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or of any other series of the same or any other class of our stock or the stock of another issuer, and if so convertible or exchangeable, the conversion price or prices, or the rates of exchange, and any adjustments to the conversion price or rates of exchange at which the conversion or exchange may be made, and any other terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange; and

• any other preferences, privileges and powers, and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions, as our board of directors may deem advisable and as shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of our Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

Depending on the rights prescribed for a series of preferred stock, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse effect on the voting power of the holders of common stock and could adversely affect holders of common stock by delaying or preventing a change in control of us, making removal of our present management more difficult or imposing restrictions upon the payment of dividends and other distributions to the holders of common stock.

The preferred stock, when issued, will be fully paid andnon-assessable. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, the preferred stock will have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any additional securities which may be issued by us in the future. The transfer agent and registrar for the preferred stock will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Warrants

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the warrants then offered, and the terms and provisions described in this section will apply only to the extent not superseded by the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock. Warrants may be issued alone or together with common stock or preferred stock offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from those securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under warrant agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, which will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not act as an agent or trustee for any holders or beneficial holders of warrants.

This section summarizes the general terms and provisions of the forms of warrant agreements and warrant certificates. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the details found in the full text of the warrant agreements and the warrant certificates. We urge you to read the applicable form of warrant agreement and the form of warrant certificate that we will file in relation to an issue of any warrants.

If warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock are offered, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following if applicable:

• the offering price;

• the total number of shares that can be purchased upon exercise and, in the case of warrants for preferred stock, the designation, total number and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise;

• the designation and terms of the series of preferred stock with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants being offered with each share of common stock or preferred stock;

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• the date on and after which holders of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related common stock or series of preferred stock;

• the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise and the price at which the common stock or preferred stock may be purchased upon exercise;

• the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which that right expires;

• material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

• any other terms of the warrants.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, warrants will be in registered form only. Until any warrants to purchase preferred stock or common stock are exercised, holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying preferred stock or common stock, including any right to receive dividends or to exercise any voting rights.

A holder of warrant certificates may, at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement:

• exchange them for new certificates of different denominations;

• present them for registration of transfer; and

• exercise them.

Each holder of a warrant is entitled to purchase the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock at the exercise price described in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the day when the right to exercise terminates, or a later date if we extend the time for exercise, unexercised warrants will become void.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, a holder of warrants may exercise them by following the general procedure outlined below:

• delivering to the warrant agent the payment required by the applicable prospectus supplement to purchase the underlying security;

• properly completing and signing the reverse side of the warrant certificate representing the warrants; and

• delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to the warrant agent within five business days of the warrant agent receiving payment of the exercise price.

If a holder of warrants complies with the procedures described above, such holder’s warrants will be considered to have been exercised when the warrant agent receives payment of the exercise price. After the holder has completed those procedures, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver to the holder preferred stock or common stock that the holder purchased upon exercise. If the holder exercises fewer than all of the warrants represented by a warrant certificate, a new warrant certificate will be issued to the holder for the unexercised amount of warrants. Holders of warrants will be required to pay any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring the underlying securities in connection with the exercise of the warrants.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, the following describes generally the provisions relating to amending and supplementing the warrant agreements. We may amend or supplement a warrant agreement without the consent of the holders of the applicable warrants if the changes are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and do not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants. We and the warrant agent may also modify or amend a warrant agreement and the terms of the warrants if a majority of the then outstanding unexercised warrants affected by the modification or amendment consent. However, no modification or amendment that accelerates the expiration date, increases the exercise price, reduces the majority consent requirement for any modification or amendment or otherwise materially

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adversely affects the rights of the holders of the warrants may be made without the consent of each holder affected by the modification or amendment.

The warrant certificate and the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the events requiring adjustment to the warrant exercise price or the number or principal amount of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrant.

Restrictions on Change in Control

See “Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law” below for a description of certain provisions in our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and RestatedBy-Laws that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control.

IMPORTANT PROVISIONS OF OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND DELAWARE LAW

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and RestatedBy-Laws and certain provisions of the DGCL may have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder would consider in its best interest. This includes an attempt that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by stockholders. These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. They are also expected to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging takeover proposals because, among other things, negotiation of takeover proposals might result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Law

We are a Delaware corporation and are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for three years after the time at which the person became an interested stockholder unless:

• prior to that time, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction in which the stockholder became an interested stockholder; or

• upon becoming an interested stockholder, the stockholder owned at least 85% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock other than shares held by directors who are also officers and certain employee benefit plans; or

• the business combination is approved by both the board of directors and by holders of at least 66 2/3% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, excluding shares owned by the interested stockholder, at a meeting and not by written consent.

For these purposes, the term “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other similar transactions with an “interested stockholder.” “Interested stockholder” means a person who, together with its affiliates and associates, owns, or under certain circumstances has owned, within the prior three years, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock. Although Section 203 permits a corporation to elect not to be governed by its provisions, we have not made this election.

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our RestatedBy-Laws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholders to make nominations of candidates for election as directors or bring other business before an annual meeting of stockholders. This procedure provides that:

• the only persons who will be eligible for election as directors are persons who are nominated by or at the direction of the board of directors, or by a stockholder who has given timely written notice containing specified information to the Secretary prior to the meeting at which directors are to be elected, and

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• the only business that may be conducted at an annual meeting is business that has been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors or by a stockholder who has given timely written notice to the Secretary of the stockholder’s intention to bring the business before the meeting.

In general, we must receive written notice of stockholder nominations to be made or business to be brought at an annual meeting no later than the 90th calendar day nor earlier than the 120th calendar day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the previous year’s annual meeting, in order for the notice to be timely. The notice must contain information concerning the person or persons to be nominated or the matters to be brought before the meeting and concerning the stockholder submitting the proposal.

The purposes of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business include the following:

• to afford the board of directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees or the advisability of the other proposed business;

• to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by the board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business; and

• to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders.

Our RestatedBy-Laws do not give our board of directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals for action. However, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if the proper procedures are not followed. Our RestatedBy-Laws may also discourage or deter a third party from soliciting proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal, without regard to whether consideration of the nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

Director Action

Our RestatedBy-Laws and the DGCL generally require that a majority of a quorum is necessary to approve any matter to come before the board of directors.

Director Liability Limitation and Indemnification

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that no director will be personally liable to us or to our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. This will not, however, eliminate or limit the liability of a director for the following:

• any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;

• acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

• any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit; or

• any matter in respect of which the director would be liable under Section 174 of the DGCL.

These provisions may discourage stockholders’ actions against directors. Directors’ personal liability for violating the federal securities laws is not limited or otherwise affected. In addition, these provisions do not affect the ability of stockholders to obtain injunctive or other equitable relief from the courts with respect to a transaction involving gross negligence on the part of a director.

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that we shall indemnify any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative by reason of the fact that:

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• he or she is or was our director or officer, or

• while a director or officer of ours, he or she is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans.

We will indemnify such persons against the expenses, liabilities and loss, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if the following standards are met:

• the person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to our best interests, and

• with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

The DGCL provides that indemnification is mandatory where a director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any proceeding covered by the indemnification statute.

The DGCL generally permits indemnification for expenses incurred in the defense or settlement of third-party actions or actions by or in the right of the corporation, and for judgments in third-party actions, provided the following determination is made:

• the person seeking indemnification acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and

• in a criminal action or proceeding, the person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

The determination must be made by directors who were not parties to the action, or if directed by such directors, by independent legal counsel or by a majority vote of a quorum of the stockholders. Without court approval, however, no indemnification may be made in respect of any action by or in the right of the corporation in which such person is adjudged liable.

Under Delaware law, the indemnification provided by statute shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights under anyby-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. In addition, the liability of officers may not be eliminated or limited under Delaware law.

The right of indemnification, including the right to receive payment in advance of expenses, conferred by our Restated Certificate of Incorporation is not exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification may otherwise be entitled.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers providing for mandatory indemnification and advancement of expenses to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Exclusive Forum

Our RestatedBy-Laws provide that, unless we consent in writing to an alternative forum, a state or federal court located in the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any

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director, officer or other employee of ours to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any director, officer or other employee of ours arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Restated Certificate of Incorporation or RestatedBy-Laws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us or any director, officer or other employee of ours governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, it may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against us or our directors and officers. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ governing documents has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with one or more actions or proceedings described above, a court could find the choice of forum provision contained in our RestatedBy-Laws to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

General

The description below of the general terms of the debt securities will be supplemented by the more specific terms in a prospectus supplement.

The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be our unsecured senior notes. We will issue the debt securities under an indenture dated as of November 17, 2009 (the “indenture”), between us and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, the “trustee.” We have summarized material terms and provisions of the indenture below. The following summary is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the indenture. A copy of the indenture is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The indenture provides that our debt securities may be issued in one or more series, with different terms, in each case as authorized from time to time by us. The indenture also gives us the ability to reopen a previous issue of a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities or other unsecured debt which we may issue.

The debt securities will be unsecured and unsubordinated and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness outstanding from time to time.

The debt securities will not be secured by any of our property or assets. Thus, by owning a debt security, you are one of our unsecured creditors.

The debt securities are our obligations, but our assets consist primarily of equity in our subsidiaries. We are a separate and distinct legal entity from our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make payments on our debt securities depends on our receipt of dividends, loan payments and other funds from our subsidiaries. If any of our subsidiaries becomes insolvent, the direct creditors of that subsidiary will have a prior claim on its assets. Our rights and the rights of our creditors, including your rights as an owner of our debt securities, will be subject to that prior claim, unless we are also a direct creditor of that subsidiary. This subordination of creditors of a parent company to prior claims of creditors of its subsidiaries is commonly referred to as structural subordination.

In addition to the following description of the debt securities, you should refer to the detailed provisions of the indenture, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

A prospectus supplement will specify the following terms of any issue of debt securities we may offer:

• the designation or title, the aggregate principal amount and the authorized denominations if other than $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

• the price(s) at which debt securities will be issued;

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• whether the debt securities will be issued pursuant to a periodic offering program;

• the percentage of their principal amount at which the debt securities will be issued and, if applicable, the method of determining the price;

• if other than the principal amount, the portion of the principal amount, or the method by which the portion will be determined, of the debt securities that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities;

• the date or dates on which the debt securities will mature and any right to extend the date or dates;

• if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies in which payments on the debt securities will be payable and the manner of determining the U.S. dollar equivalent for purposes of determining outstanding debt securities of a series;

• the rate or rates at which the debt securities will bear interest, if any, or the method of determination (including indices) of the rate or rates;

• the date or dates from which interest, if any, will accrue, the dates on which the interest, if any, will be payable, the method of determining holders to whom any of the interest will be payable and any right to defer the payment of interest;

• any mandatory or optional sinking fund or analogous provisions;

• the prices, if any, at which, the dates at or after which and the terms upon which, we may or must repay, repurchase or redeem the debt securities;

• the date or dates, if any, after which the debt securities may be converted or exchanged into or for shares of our common stock or another company’s securities or property or settled for the cash value of securities issued by us or a third party and the terms for any conversion or exchange or settlement;

• the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities may be listed;

• any special provisions for the payment of additional amounts with respect to the debt securities;

• whether the debt securities are to be issuable as registered securities or bearer securities or both, whether any of the debt securities are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any of the debt securities are to be issuable in permanent global form;

• each office or agency where the principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities will be payable and each office or agency where the debt securities may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange;

• whether the debt securities will be subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance;

• any changes to or additional events of default or covenants;

• any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture; and

• any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations.

A series of debt securities may be issued as discounted debt securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement will contain any U.S. federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to discounted debt securities.

If the purchase price, or the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any additional amounts with respect to, any debt securities is payable in, or if any debt securities are denominated in, one or more foreign currencies, the restrictions, elections, U.S. federal income tax considerations, specific terms and other information will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, other than as described below under “— Covenants,” the indenture does not limit our ability to incur indebtedness or protect holders of the debt securities in the event of a sudden and significant decline in our credit quality or a takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged or similar transaction involving us. Accordingly, we could in the future enter into transactions that could increase the amount of our outstanding indebtedness or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit rating.

Payment and Transfer

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will issue debt securities only as registered securities, which means that the name of the holder will be entered in a register, which will be kept by the trustee or another agent of ours. Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will make principal and interest payments at the office of the paying agent or agents we name in the prospectus supplement or by delivering payment to you at the address we have for you in the register.

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, you will be able to transfer registered debt securities at the office of the transfer agent or agents we name in the prospectus supplement. You may also exchange registered debt securities at the office of the transfer agent for an equal aggregate principal amount of registered debt securities of the same series having the same maturity date, interest rate and other terms as long as the debt securities are issued in authorized denominations.

Neither we nor the trustee will impose any service charge for any transfer or exchange of a debt security; however, we may require you to pay a sum sufficient to cover any taxes or other governmental charges in connection with a transfer or exchange of debt securities.

If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a particular series, we may block the transfer or exchange of debt securities during a specified period of time in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare and send the notice. The period begins 15 days before the day of any selection of debt securities for redemption and ends on the day of selection of the debt securities to be redeemed. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected for redemption. However, we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security being partially redeemed.

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The debt securities of any series may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, preferred stock or our other securities or property or cash on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Covenants

Limitation on Liens

The indenture contains a covenant that we will not, and we will not permit any of our restricted subsidiaries to, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness secured by any mortgage upon any of our principal properties or those of any of our restricted subsidiaries without securing the debt securities (and, if we so determine, any other indebtedness ranking equally with the debt securities) equally and ratably with such indebtedness.

This covenant will not prevent us or any of our restricted subsidiaries from issuing, assuming or guaranteeing:

• any purchase money mortgage on such property simultaneously with or within 180 days after the later of (1) the acquisition or completion of construction or completion of substantial reconstruction, renovation, remodeling, expansion or improvement (each, a “substantial improvement”) of such property, or (2) the placing in operation of such property after the acquisition or completion of any such construction or substantial improvement;

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• any mortgage on real property or on equipment used directly in the operation of, or the business conducted on, such mortgaged real property, which is the sole security for indebtedness:

• incurred within three years after the latest of (1) the date of issuance of the first series of debt securities under the indenture, (2) the date of the acquisition of the real property, or (3) the date of the completion of construction or substantial improvement on such real property;

• incurred for the purpose of reimbursing us or our restricted subsidiary for the cost of acquisition and/or the cost of improvement of such real property and equipment;

• the amount of which does not exceed the lesser of the aggregate cost of the real property, improvements and equipment or the fair market value of that real property, improvements and equipment; and

• the holder of which shall be entitled to enforce payment of such indebtedness solely by resorting to the security for such mortgage, without any liability on the part of us or a restricted subsidiary for any deficiency;

• an existing mortgage on property not previously owned by us or a restricted subsidiary, including in each case indebtedness incurred for reimbursement of funds previously expended for any substantial improvements to or acquisitions of property; however:

• the mortgage must be limited to any or all of (1) such acquired or constructed property or substantial improvement (including accretions thereto), (2) the real property on which any construction or substantial improvement occurs or (3) with respect to distribution centers, any equipment used directly in the operation of, or the business conducted on, the real property on which any construction or substantial improvement occurs; and

• the total amount of the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, together with all other indebtedness to persons other than us or a restricted subsidiary secured by mortgages on such property, shall not exceed the lesser of (1) the total cost of such mortgaged property, including any costs of construction or substantial improvement to us or a restricted subsidiary, or (2) the fair market value of the property immediately following the acquisition, construction or substantial improvement;

• mortgages existing on the date of the indenture, mortgages on assets of a restricted subsidiary existing on the date it became a subsidiary or mortgages on the assets of a subsidiary that is newly designated as a restricted subsidiary if the mortgage would have been permitted under the provisions of this paragraph if such mortgage was created while the subsidiary was a restricted subsidiary;

• mortgages in favor of us or a restricted subsidiary;

• mortgages securing only the indebtedness issued under the indenture; and

• mortgages to secure indebtedness incurred to extend, renew, refinance or replace indebtedness secured by any mortgages referred to above, provided that the principal amount of the extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced, plus transaction costs and fees, and that any such mortgage applies only to the same property or assets subject to the prior permitted mortgage (and, in the case of real property, improvements).

Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

The indenture contains a covenant that we will not, and will not permit our restricted subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by us or any restricted subsidiary of any principal property owned or acquired thereafter that has been or is to be sold or transferred by us or such restricted subsidiary to such person with the intention of taking back a lease of such property, a “sale and leaseback

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transaction,” without equally and ratably securing the debt securities (and, if we shall so determine, any other indebtedness ranking equally with the debt securities), unless the terms of such sale or transfer have been determined by our board of directors to be fair andarm’s-length and either:

• within 180 days after the receipt of the proceeds of the sale or transfer, we or such restricted subsidiary applies an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of the sale or transfer or the fair value of such principal property at the time of such sale or transfer to the prepayment or retirement (other than any mandatory prepayment or retirement) of our or any restricted subsidiary’s senior funded debt; or

• we or such restricted subsidiary would be entitled, at the effective date of the sale or transfer, to incur indebtedness secured by a mortgage on such principal property, in an amount at least equal to the attributable debt in respect of the sale and leaseback transaction, without equally and ratably securing the debt securities pursuant to “— Limitation on Liens” described above.

The foregoing restriction will not apply to:

• any sale and leaseback transaction for a term of not more than three years including renewals;

• any sale and leaseback transaction with respect to a principal property if a binding commitment with respect thereto is entered into within three years after the later of (1) the date of issuance of the first series of debt securities issued under the indenture, or (2) the date such principal property was acquired;

• any sale and leaseback transaction with respect to a principal property if a binding commitment with respect thereto is entered into within 180 days after the later of the date such property was acquired and, if applicable, the date such property was first placed in operation; or

• any sale and leaseback transaction between us and a restricted subsidiary or between restricted subsidiaries provided that the lessor shall be us or a wholly owned restricted subsidiary.

Exception to Limitations for Exempted Debt

Notwithstanding the limitations in the indenture on mortgages and sale and leaseback transactions, we or our restricted subsidiaries may, in addition to amounts permitted under such restrictions, create or assume and renew, extend or replace mortgages, or enter into sale and leaseback transactions without any obligation to retire any senior funded debt of us or any restricted subsidiary, provided that at the time of such creation, assumption, renewal, extension or replacement of a mortgage or at the time of entering into such sale and leaseback transactions, and after giving effect thereto, exempted debt does not exceed 15% of our consolidated net tangible assets.

Definitions

For purposes of the indenture:

“Attributable debt” in respect of a sale and leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the imputed rate of interest of such transaction determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended). The term “net rental payments” under any lease for any period means the sum of the rental and other payments required to be paid in such period by the lessee thereunder, not including any amounts required to be paid by such lessee (whether or not designated as rental or additional rent) on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges required to be paid by such lessee thereunder or any amount required to be paid by lessee thereunder contingent upon the amount of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges.

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“Consolidated net tangible assets” means the total amounts of assets (less depreciation and valuation reserves and other reserves and items deductible from gross book value of specific asset accounts under generally accepted accounting principles) which under generally accepted accounting principles would be included on a consolidated balance sheet of us and our consolidated restricted subsidiaries after deducting (1) all current liabilities, excluding current liabilities that could be classified as long-term debt under generally accepted accounting principles and current liabilities that are by their terms extendable or renewable at the obligor’s option to a time more than 12 months after the time as of which the amount of current liabilities is being computed; (2) investments in unrestricted subsidiaries; and (3) all trade names, trademarks, licenses, patents, copyrights and goodwill, organizational and development costs, deferred charges, other than prepaid items such as insurance, taxes, interest, commissions, rents and similar items and tangible assets being amortized, and amortized debt discount and expense, less unamortized premium.

“Exempted debt” means the sum of the following items outstanding as of the date exempted debt is being determined: (1) indebtedness of us and our restricted subsidiaries secured by a mortgage and not permitted to exist under the indenture; and (2) attributable debt of us and our restricted subsidiaries in respect of all sale and leaseback transactions not permitted under the indenture.

“Funded debt” means indebtedness which matures more than one year from the date of creation, or which is extendable or renewable at the sole option of the obligor so that it may become payable more than one year from such date. Funded debt does not include (1) obligations created pursuant to leases, (2) any indebtedness or portion thereof maturing by its terms within one year from the time of any computation of the amount of outstanding funded debt unless such indebtedness shall be extendable or renewable at the sole option of the obligor in such manner that it may become payable more than one year from such time, or (3) any indebtedness for the payment or redemption of which money in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust either at or before the maturity date thereof.

“Indebtedness” means indebtedness for borrowed money and indebtedness under purchase money mortgages or other purchase money liens or conditional sales or similar title retention agreements, in each case where such indebtedness has been created, incurred, or assumed by such person to the extent such indebtedness would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such person prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, guarantees by such person of such indebtedness, and indebtedness for borrowed money secured by any mortgage, pledge or other lien or encumbrance upon property owned by such person, even though such person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness.

“Investment” means any investment in stock, evidences of indebtedness, loans or advances, however made or acquired, but does not include our account receivable or the accounts receivable of any restricted subsidiary arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, or any evidences of indebtedness, loans or advance made in connection with the sale to any subsidiary of our accounts receivable or the accounts receivable of any restricted subsidiary arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

“Mortgage” means any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien or other encumbrance.

“Principal property” means all real property and improvements thereon owned by us or a restricted subsidiary, including, without limitation, any manufacturing, warehouse, distribution or research facility having a gross book value in excess of 1% of our consolidated net tangible assets and located within the United States, excluding its territories and possessions and Puerto Rico. This term does not include any facility that our board of directors declares by resolution not to be of material importance to our business. As of the date of this prospectus, our west campus research and manufacturing center in Warsaw, Indiana is our only principal property.

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“Restricted subsidiary” means Zimmer, Inc. and any other subsidiary so designated by our board of directors or one of our duly authorized officers in accordance with the indenture; provided that (1) the board of directors or duly authorized officers may, subject to certain limitations, designate any unrestricted subsidiary as a restricted subsidiary and any restricted subsidiary (other than Zimmer, Inc.) as an unrestricted subsidiary and (2) any subsidiary of which the majority of the voting stock is owned directly or indirectly by one or more unrestricted subsidiaries shall be an unrestricted subsidiary. As of the date of this prospectus, Zimmer, Inc. is the only restricted subsidiary.

“Senior funded debt” means all funded debt (except funded debt, the payment of which is subordinated to the payment of the debt securities).

“Subsidiary” means any corporation of which at least a majority of the outstanding stock having voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a majority of the board of directors of said corporation or business entity is at the time owned or controlled by us, or by us and one or more subsidiaries, or by any one or more subsidiaries.

“Unrestricted subsidiary” means any subsidiary other than a restricted subsidiary.

“Wholly owned restricted subsidiary” means any restricted subsidiary all of the outstanding funded debt and capital stock of which, other than directors’ qualifying shares, is owned by us and our other wholly owned restricted subsidiaries.

Mergers and Similar Events

We are generally permitted to consolidate with or merge into any other person. In this section, “person” refers to any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision of a government or governmental agency. We are also permitted to sell substantially all of our assets to any other person, or to buy substantially all of the assets of any other person. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

• Where we merge out of existence or sell all or substantially all of our assets, the other person may not be organized under a foreign country’s laws (that is, it must be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust organized and validly existing under the laws of a state or the District of Columbia or under federal law) and it must agree to be legally responsible for the outstanding debt securities issued under the indenture. Upon assumption of our obligations by such a person in such circumstances, we shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the indenture and the debt securities.

• The merger, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other transaction must not cause a default on the debt securities, and we must not already be in default unless the merger or other transaction would cure the default. For purposes of thisno-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and not been cured, as described below under “—Events of Default.” A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if we received the required notice of our default or if under the indenture the default would become an Event of Default after existing for a specified period of time.

Modification and Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities.

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Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt securities without your specific approval. Following is a list of those types of changes:

• change the stated maturity of the principal or interest on a debt security;

• reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

• reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a note following an Event of Default;

• change the place or currency of payment for a debt security;

• impair your right to sue for payment;

• reduce the percentage in principal amount of the debt securities, the approval of whose holders is needed to modify or amend the indenture or the debt securities;

• reduce the percentage in principal amount of the debt securities, the approval of whose holders is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults; and

• modify any other aspect of the provisions dealing with modification and waiver of the indenture, except to increase the percentage required for any modification or to provide that other provisions of the indenture may not be modified or waived without your consent.

Changes Not Requiring Approval. The second type of change does not require any vote by holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to corrections and clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the debt securities. Nor do we need any approval to make changes that affect only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the changes take effect. We may also make changes or obtain waivers that do not adversely affect a particular debt security, even if they affect other debt securities issued under the indenture. In those cases, we need only obtain any required approvals from the holders of the affected debt securities.

Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

• If the change affects only debt securities of one series, it must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series.

• If the change affects the debt securities of one series as well as the debt securities of one or more other series issued under the indenture, it must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of each series affected by the change. In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent. Most changes fall into this category.

The same vote would be required for us to obtain a waiver of a past default. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or any other aspect of the indenture or the debt securities listed in the first category described previously under “—Changes Requiring Your Approval” unless we obtain your individual consent to the waiver.

Further Details Concerning Voting. Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust for you money for their payment or redemption. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described below in “—Defeasance—Full Defeasance.”

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We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. In certain limited circumstances, the trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders. If we or the trustee set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of debt securities, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding debt securities on the record date and must be taken within 180 days following the record date or another period that we may specify (or as the trustee may specify, if it set the record date). We may shorten or lengthen (but not beyond 180 days) this period from time to time.

Defeasance

The following discussion of full defeasance and discharge will apply to any series of debt securities unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to the debt securities of a series.

Full Defeasance. If there is a change in U.S. federal tax law, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities (called “full defeasance”) if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid:

• We must deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders of the debt securities of the same series a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal, any premium and any other payments on the debt securities of that series on their various due dates.

• There must be a change in current U.S. federal tax law or an Internal Revenue Service ruling that lets us make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and instead repaid the debt securities ourselves when due. Under current U.S. federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we took back your debt securities and gave you your share of the cash and debt securities or bonds deposited in trust. In that event, you could recognize gain or loss on the debt securities you give back to us.

• We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming the tax law change described above.

If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever become bankrupt or insolvent.

However, even if we make the deposit in trust and opinion delivery arrangements discussed above, a number of our obligations relating to the debt securities will remain. These include our obligations:

• to register the transfer and exchange of debt securities;

• to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities;

• to maintain paying agencies; and

• to hold money for payment in trust.

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Covenant Defeasance. Under current U.S. federal tax law, we can make the same type of deposit described above and be released from some of the covenants in the debt securities. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, you would lose the protection of those covenants but would gain the protection of having money and securities set aside in trust to repay the debt securities. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

• We must deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders of the debt securities of the same series a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal, any premium and any other payments on the debt securities of that series on their various due dates.

• We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that under current U.S. federal income tax law we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and instead repaid the debt securities ourselves when due.

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit. In fact, if one of the Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities become immediately due and payable, there may be such a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall.

Satisfaction and Discharge

The indenture will cease to be of further effect and the trustee, upon our demand and at our expense, will execute appropriate instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture upon compliance with certain conditions, including:

• Our having paid all sums payable by us under the indenture, as and when the same shall be due and payable;

• Our having delivered to the trustee for cancellation all debt securities theretofore authenticated under the indenture; or

• All debt securities of any series outstanding under the indenture not theretofore delivered to the trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year and we shall have deposited with the trustee sufficient cash or U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to pay, at maturity or upon redemption, all such debt securities of any series outstanding under the indenture.

Events of Default

The indenture defines an Event of Default with respect to any series of debt securities. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, Events of Default are any of the following:

• We do not pay the principal or any premium on the debt securities of that series on its due date.

• We do not pay interest on the debt securities of that series within 30 days of its due date.

• We do not pay any sinking fund payment with respect to the debt securities of that series on its due date.

• We remain in breach of any other term of the indenture for 60 days after we receive a notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of 25% of the principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series.

• We file for bankruptcy or certain other events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

• Any other event of default provided with respect to the debt securities of that series.

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An Event of Default under one series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default under any other series of debt securities. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of any series of debt securities issued thereunder of any default if the trustee considers it in the interest of such holders to do so provided the trustee may not withhold notice of default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the debt securities of that series or in the making of any sinking fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to that series.

Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs. The indenture provides that if an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured (other than an Event of Default because of certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization), the trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. If an Event of Default occurs because of certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal amount of all the debt securities will be automatically accelerated, without any action by the trustee or any holder. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be cancelled by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series if certain conditions are satisfied.

If an Event of Default with respect to any series of debt securities has occurred and is continuing, the trustee shall exercise with respect to the debt securities of that series the rights and power vested in it by the indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request or direction of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee protection from expenses and liability (called an “indemnity”). If indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities outstanding of the affected series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. Subject to certain exceptions contained in the indenture, these majority holders may also direct the trustee in performing any other action under the indenture.

Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

• You must give the trustee written notice that an Event of Default has occurred and remains uncured.

• The holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the affected series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the Event of Default, and must offer satisfactory indemnity to the trustee against the cost, expenses and other liabilities of taking that action.

• The trustee must have not taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity.

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt security on or after the due date of that payment.

We will furnish to the trustee every year a written statement of one of our officers certifying that to his or her knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities, or else specifying any default or Event of Default, its status and what action we are taking or proposing to take with respect thereto.

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Global Securities

The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such series. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a series of global securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is the trustee under the indenture. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and its affiliates maintain normal banking relations with us.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:

• to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers;

• through agents;

• on any national exchange on which the securities offered by this prospectus are listed or any automatic quotation system through which the securities may be quoted;

• directly to one or more purchasers; or

• through a combination of any of these methods.

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus at:

• a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

• market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

• prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

• negotiated prices.

If underwriters are used in the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus, the names of the managing underwriter or underwriters and any other underwriters and certain terms of the offering, including compensation of the underwriters and dealers, if any, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. It is anticipated that any underwriting agreement pertaining to any securities offered by this prospectus will (1) entitle the underwriters to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution for payments which the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities; (2) provide that the obligations of the underwriters will be subject to certain conditions precedent; and (3) provide that the underwriters generally will be obligated to purchase all of such securities being offered if any are purchased.

We also may sell the securities offered by this prospectus to a dealer as principal. If we sell the securities offered by this prospectus to a dealer as a principal, then the dealer may resell those securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale.

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The securities offered by this prospectus also may be offered through agents we may designate from time to time. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain the name of any such agent and the terms of its agency. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any such agent will act on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

Dealers and agents named in a prospectus supplement may be deemed to be underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the securities described in the prospectus supplement and, under agreements which may be entered into with us, may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution for payments which they may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

Underwriters, dealers, agents and their affiliates may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

Offers to purchase the securities offered by this prospectus may be solicited directly by us and sales thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others. The terms of any such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Indianapolis, Indiana.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to ourAnnual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available at the SEC’s Internet site, http://www.sec.gov. You may also inspect our SEC reports and other information at the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

We have filed a registration statement onForm S-3 with the SEC covering the securities that may be sold under this prospectus. For further information concerning us and the securities being offered, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits. This prospectus summarizes material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer you to. Because the prospectus may not contain all the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. We have included copies of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

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The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information from other documents we file with the SEC, which means:

• incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus;

• we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

• information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus and any information that was previously incorporated in this prospectus.

Our Exchange Act filing number is001-16407.

Until we have sold all of the securities to which this prospectus relates or the offering is otherwise terminated, we incorporate by reference the following documents and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, unless expressly provided otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we do not incorporate by reference any Form SD or any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules:

• Our Annual Report onForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018;

• The information specifically incorporated by reference into ourAnnual Report onForm 10-K for the fiscal year ended December  31, 2017 from our definitiveProxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018; and

• The description of our common stock contained in ourRegistration Statement on Form10-12B, filed on March 26, 2001, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

We will provide each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the document) upon written or oral request and at no cost to the requester. Requests should be directed to: Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana, 46580, Attention: Corporate Secretary(574) 267-6131. We also make available, free of charge, on or through our Internet website (http://www.zimmerbiomet.com) our Annual Reports onForm 10-K, Quarterly Reports onForm 10-Q, Current Reports onForm 8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Please note, however, that we have not incorporated any other information by reference from our Internet website in this prospectus, other than the documents listed in the preceding paragraph.

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€            

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

                     % Notes due 20    

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

Joint Book-Running Managers

BNP PARIBAS

J.P. Morgan

MUFG

SMBC Nikko

November     , 2019