RBC Capital Markets®
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-227001
 


The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed.
 

Preliminary Pricing Supplement
Subject to Completion:
Dated November 7, 2018
To the Product Prospectus Supplement FIN-1 Dated September 20, 2018, and the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated September 7, 2018
$_________
Redeemable Step Up Notes,
Due November 21, 2023
Royal Bank of Canada
 

 
Royal Bank of Canada is offering the Redeemable Step Up Notes (the “Notes”) described below.
The CUSIP number for the Notes is 78014RAU4.
The Notes will accrue interest at the following rates during the indicated year of their term:
·
Years 1-4:
3.55% per annum
·
Year 5:
5.25% per annum
We will pay interest on the Notes on May 21 and November 21 of each year (each an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing on May 21, 2019.
We may call the Notes in whole, but not in part, on November 21, 2022 with 10 business days’ prior written notice. All payments on the Notes are subject to our credit risk.
The Notes will not be listed on any U.S. securities exchange.
The Notes will be bail-inable notes (as defined in the accompanying prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018) and subject to conversion in whole or in part – by means of a transaction or series of transactions and in one or more steps – into common shares of the Bank or any of its affiliates under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (the “CDIC Act”) and to variation or extinguishment in consequence, and subject to the application of the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein in respect of the operation of the CDIC Act with respect to the Notes.
Investing in the Notes involves a number of risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-1 of the prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018, “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” beginning on page PS-5 of the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018 and “Additional Risk Factors” on page P-5 of this pricing supplement.
The Notes will not constitute deposits insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) or any other Canadian or U.S. government agency or instrumentality.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined that this pricing supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC will offer the Notes at varying public offering prices related to prevailing market prices, and will purchase the Notes from us on the Issue Date at purchase prices that are expected to be between 99.40% and 100.00% of the principal amount. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below.
We will deliver the Notes in book-entry only form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company on or about November 19, 2018, against payment in immediately available funds.

RBC Capital Markets, LLC
 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
SUMMARY
The information in this “Summary” section is qualified by the more detailed information set forth in this pricing supplement, the product prospectus supplement FIN-1, the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus.
Issuer:
Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”)
Issue:
Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series H
Underwriter:
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Currency:
U.S. Dollars
Minimum Investment:
$1,000 and minimum denominations of $1,000 in excess of $1,000
Pricing Date:
November 19, 2018
Issue Date:
November 21, 2018
Maturity Date:
November 21, 2023
CUSIP:
78014RAU4
Type of Note:
Step Up Note
Interest Rate:
Years 1-4:
3.55% per annum
 
Year 5:
5.25% per annum
Interest Payment
Dates:
Semi-annually, on May 21 and November 21 of each year, commencing on May 21, 2019. If an Interest Payment Date is not a New York business day, interest shall be paid on the next New York business day, without adjustment for period end dates and no interest shall be paid in respect of the delay.
Redemption:
Redeemable at our option. If we redeem the Notes, we will pay you the principal amount, together with the applicable interest payment.
Call Dates:
The Notes are callable, in whole, but not in part, on November 21, 2022 upon 10 business days’ prior written notice.
Survivor’s Option:
Not applicable.
Canadian Bail-in
Powers
Acknowledgment:
The Notes are bail-inable notes. See “Specific Terms of the Notes—Agreement with Respect to the Exercise of Canadian Bail-in Powers.”
U.S. Tax Treatment:
Please see the discussion (including the opinion of our counsel Morrison & Foerster LLP) in the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018 under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” and specifically the discussion under “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Supplemental U.S. Tax Considerations—Where the term of your notes will exceed one year—Fixed Rate Notes, Floating Rate Notes, Inverse Floating Rate Notes, Step Up Notes, Leveraged Notes, Range Accrual Notes, Dual Range Accrual Notes and Non-Inversion Range Accrual Notes,” and “Supplemental Discussion of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Supplemental U.S. Tax Considerations—Where the term of your notes will exceed one year—Sale, Redemption or

 
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
 
Maturity of Notes that Are Not Treated as Contingent Payment Debt Instruments,” which applies to your Notes.
Calculation Agent:
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Listing:
The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.
Clearance and
Settlement:
DTC global (including through its indirect participants Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg as described under “Description of Debt Securities—Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the prospectus dated September 7, 2018).
Terms Incorporated in
the Master Note:
All of the terms appearing above the item captioned “Listing” on page P-2 of this pricing supplement and the terms appearing under the caption “General Terms of the Notes” in the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018, as modified by this pricing supplement.

 
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
ADDITIONAL TERMS OF YOUR NOTES
You should read this pricing supplement together with the prospectus dated September 7, 2018, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018 and the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018, relating to our Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series H, of which these Notes are a part. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement will have the meanings given to them in the product prospectus supplement FIN-1. In the event of any conflict, this pricing supplement will control.  The Notes vary from the terms described in the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 in several important ways. You should read this pricing supplement carefully.
This pricing supplement, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the Notes and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral statements as well as any other written materials including preliminary or indicative pricing terms, correspondence, trade ideas, structures for implementation, sample structures, brochures or other educational materials of ours. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018, “Additional Risk Factors Specific to the Notes” in the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018 and “Additional Risk Factors” in this pricing supplement, as the Notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors before you invest in the Notes. You may access these documents on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if that address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):
Prospectus dated September 7, 2018:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000121465918005973/l96181424b3.htm
Prospectus Supplement dated September 7, 2018:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000121465918005975/f97180424b3.htm
Product Prospectus Supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1000275/000114036118038802/form424b5.htm
Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 1000275.  As used in this pricing supplement, the “Company,” the “Bank,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to Royal Bank of Canada.
Royal Bank of Canada has filed a registration statement (including a product prospectus supplement, a prospectus supplement, and a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this pricing supplement relates.  Before you invest, you should read those documents and the other documents relating to this offering that we have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering.  You may obtain these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, Royal Bank of Canada, any agent or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the product prospectus supplement FIN-1, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus if you so request by calling toll-free at 1-877-688-2301.

 
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS
The Notes involve risks not associated with an investment in ordinary fixed rate notes. This section describes the most significant risks relating to the terms of the Notes. For additional information as to these risks, please see the product prospectus supplement FIN-1 dated September 20, 2018 and the prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018. You should carefully consider whether the Notes are suited to your particular circumstances before you decide to purchase them. Accordingly, prospective investors should consult their financial and legal advisors as to the risks entailed by an investment in the Notes and the suitability of the Notes in light of their particular circumstances.
Early Redemption Risk. We have the option to redeem the Notes on the Call Dates set forth above. It is more likely that we will redeem the Notes prior to their stated maturity date to the extent that the interest payable on the Notes is greater than the interest that would be payable on our other instruments of a comparable maturity, terms and credit rating trading in the market. If the Notes are redeemed prior to their stated maturity date, you may have to re-invest the proceeds in a lower rate environment.
Investors Are Subject to Our Credit Risk, and Our Credit Ratings and Credit Spreads May Adversely Affect the Market Value of the Notes. Investors are dependent on Royal Bank’s ability to pay all amounts due on the Notes on the interest payment dates and at maturity, and, therefore, investors are subject to the credit risk of Royal Bank and to changes in the market’s view of Royal Bank’s creditworthiness. Any decrease in Royal Bank’s credit ratings or increase in the credit spreads charged by the market for taking Royal Bank’s credit risk is likely to adversely affect the market value of the Notes.

 
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE EXERCISE OF CANADIAN BAIL-IN POWERS

By its acquisition of the Notes, each holder or beneficial owner is deemed to (i) agree to be bound, in respect of that Note, by the CDIC Act, including the conversion of that Note, in whole or in part – by means of a transaction or series of transactions and in one or more steps – into common shares of the Bank or any of its affiliates under subsection 39.2(2.3) of the CDIC Act and the variation or extinguishment of that Note in consequence, and by the application of the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein in respect of the operation of the CDIC Act with respect to that Note; (ii) attorn and submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in the Province of Ontario with respect to the CDIC Act and those laws; and (iii) acknowledge and agree that the terms referred to in paragraphs (i) and (ii), above, are binding on that holder or beneficial owner despite any provisions in the indenture or that Note, any other law that governs that Note and any other agreement, arrangement or understanding between that holder or beneficial owner and the Bank with respect to that Note.

Holders and beneficial owners of any Note will have no further rights in respect of that Note to the extent that Note is converted in a bail-in conversion, other than those provided under the bail-in regime, and by its acquisition of an interest in any Note, each holder or beneficial owner of that Note is deemed to irrevocably consent to the converted portion of the principal amount of that Note and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon being deemed paid in full by the Bank by the issuance of common shares of the Bank (or, if applicable, any of its affiliates) upon the occurrence of a bail-in conversion, which bail-in conversion will occur without any further action on the part of that holder or beneficial owner or the trustee; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, this consent will not limit or otherwise affect any rights that holders or beneficial owners may have under the bail-in regime.

See “Description of Notes We May Offer―Special Provisions Related to Bail-inable Notes” in the accompanying prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018 for a description of provisions applicable to the Notes as a result of Canadian bail-in powers.

 
P-6
RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 


Redeemable Step Up Notes
SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)
We expect that delivery of the Notes will be made against payment for the Notes on or about November 21, 2018, which is the second (2nd) business day following the Pricing Date (this settlement cycle being referred to as “T+2”). See “Plan of Distribution” in the prospectus supplement dated September 7, 2018. For additional information as to the relationship between us and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, please see the section “Plan of Distribution—Conflicts of Interest” in the prospectus dated September 7, 2018.
After the initial offering of the Notes, the price to the public may change.
We may use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the Notes. In addition, RBC Capital Markets, LLC or another of our affiliates may use this pricing supplement in a market-making transaction in the Notes after their initial sale. Unless we or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.


 
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC