in some of these nations, issuers of the relevant securities face the threat of expropriation of their assets and/or nationalization of their businesses. The economic and financial data about some of these countries may be unreliable. Additionally, the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements applicable to companies in foreign countries may differ from those applicable to U.S. reporting companies.
We, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including the selling agents, do not control any Underlying Company and have not verified any disclosure made by any Underlying Company. We, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including the selling agents, currently, or in the future, may engage in business with any Underlying Company, and we, the Guarantor or our affiliates, including the selling agents, may from time to time own securities of any Underlying Company. However, none of us, the Guarantor nor any of our other affiliates, including the selling agents, have the ability to control any actions of any Underlying Company or have undertaken any independent review of, or made any due diligence inquiry with respect to, any Underlying Company. Unless otherwise specified therein, any information in the applicable term sheet regarding an Underlying Company is derived from publicly available information. You should make your own investigation into any Underlying Stock and any Underlying Company.
The business activities of us, the Guarantor and any of our other affiliates, including the selling agents, relating to any Underlying Company may create conflicts of interest with you. We, the Guarantor and our other affiliates, including the selling agents, at the time of any offering of ARNs or in the future, may engage in business with any Underlying Company, including making loans to or equity investments in, or providing investment banking, asset management, or other services to that Underlying Company, its affiliates, and its competitors.
In connection with these activities, we, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including the selling agents, may receive information about those companies that we or they will not divulge to you or other third parties. One or more of our affiliates may have published, and in the future may publish, research reports on one or more of these companies. This research is modified from time to time without notice and may express opinions or provide recommendations that are inconsistent with purchasing or holding your ARNs. Any of these activities may adversely affect the price of any Underlying Stock and, consequently, the market value of your ARNs. None of us, the Guarantor nor any of our other affiliates, including the selling agents, makes any representation to any purchasers of ARNs regarding any matters whatsoever relating to any Underlying Stock or any Underlying Company. Any prospective purchaser of ARNs should undertake an independent investigation into any Underlying Stock and any Underlying Company to a level that, in its judgment, is appropriate to make an informed decision regarding an investment in ARNs. The selection of an Underlying Stock does not reflect any investment recommendations from us, the Guarantor or our other affiliates, including the selling agents.
An Underlying Company will have no obligations relating to ARNs and none of us, the Guarantor nor any of our other affiliates, including the selling agents, will perform any due diligence procedures with respect to any Underlying Company. An Underlying Company will not have any financial or legal obligation with respect to ARNs or the amounts to be paid to you, including any obligation to take our interest or the interests of holders of ARNs into consideration for any reason, including when taking any corporate actions that might adversely affect the price of an Underlying Stock or the value of ARNs. An Underlying Company will not receive any of the proceeds from any offering of ARNs, and will not be responsible for, or participate in, the offering of ARNs. No Underlying Company will be responsible for, or participate in, the determination or calculation of any payments on ARNs.
PS-15