CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
From time to time, the Bank makes written and/or oral forward-looking statements, including in this document, in other filings with Canadian regulators or the SEC, and in other communications. In addition, representatives of the Bank may make forward-looking statements orally to analysts, investors, the media and others. All such statements are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements made in this prospectus, the 2019 MD&A under the heading “Economic Summary and Outlook,” for the Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail and Wholesale Banking segments under headings “Business Outlook and Focus for 2020”, and for the Corporate segment, “Focus for 2020”, and in other statements regarding the Bank’s objectives and priorities for 2020 and beyond and strategies to achieve them, the regulatory environment in which the Bank operates, and the Bank’s anticipated financial performance. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “may,” and “could.”
By their very nature, these forward-looking statements require the Bank to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, general and specific. Especially in light of the uncertainty related to the physical, financial, economic, political, and regulatory environments, such risks and uncertainties—many of which are beyond the Bank’s control and the effects of which can be difficult to predict—may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could cause, individually or in the aggregate, such differences include: credit, market (including equity, commodity, foreign exchange, interest rate and credit spreads), liquidity, operational (including technology, cyber security, and infrastructure), model, reputational, insurance, strategic, regulatory, legal, conduct, environmental, capital adequacy, and other risks. Examples of such risk factors include the impacts of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); the general business and economic conditions in the regions in which the Bank operates; geopolitical risk; the ability of the Bank to execute on long-term strategies and shorter-term key strategic priorities, including the successful completion of acquisitions and dispositions, business retention plans, and strategic plans; the ability of the Bank to attract, develop, and retain key executives; disruptions in or attacks (including cyber-attacks or data security breaches) on the Bank’s information technology, internet, network access or other voice or data communications systems or services; fraud or other criminal activity to which the Bank is exposed; the failure of third parties to comply with their obligations to the Bank or its affiliates, including relating to the care and control of information; the impact of new and changes to, or application of, current laws and regulations, including without limitation tax laws, capital guidelines and liquidity regulatory guidance and the bank recapitalization “bail-in” regime; exposure related to significant litigation and regulatory matters; increased competition from incumbents and non-traditional competitors, including Fintech and big technology competitors; changes to the Bank’s credit ratings; changes in currency and interest rates (including the possibility of negative interest rates); increased funding costs and market volatility due to market illiquidity and competition for funding; Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR) transition risk; critical accounting estimates and changes to accounting standards, policies, and methods used by the Bank; existing and potential international debt crises; environmental and social risk; and the occurrence of natural and unnatural catastrophic events and claims resulting from such events. The Bank cautions that the preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible risk factors and other factors could also adversely affect the Bank’s results. For more detailed information, please refer to the “Risk Factors and Management” section of the 2019 MD&A, as supplemented by the “Risk Factors” section of the second quarter shareholders’ report for the period ending April 30, 2020, and as may be updated in subsequently filed quarterly reports to shareholders and other filings made by the Bank that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. All such factors should be considered carefully, as well as other uncertainties and potential events, and the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements, when making decisions with respect to the Bank and the Bank cautions readers not to place undue reliance on the Bank’s forward-looking statements.
Material economic assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are set out in the 2019 MD&A under the headings “Economic Summary and Outlook,” for the Canadian Retail,
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