Pricing Supplement dated October 20, 2010

Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration Nos. 333-169682

333-169682-01

Pricing Supplement dated October 20, 2010,

to the Prospectus dated September 30, 2010

LOGO

US$8,000,000

Nomura America Finance, LLC

Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by Nomura Holdings, Inc.

4.00% Senior Notes due October 25, 2018

Nomura America Finance, LLC is offering the 4.00% senior notes due October 25, 2018 (the “notes”) described below. The notes are unsecured securities, and all payments on the notes are subject to our credit risk and that of the guarantor of the notes, Nomura Holdings, Inc.

 

Issuer:    Nomura America Finance, LLC (“we” or “us”)
Guarantor:    Nomura Holdings, Inc. (“Nomura”)
Type of Securities:    Fixed rate senior debt securities
Principal Amount:    US$8,000,000
Interest Rate:    4.00%
Interest Payment Dates:    Quarterly, on January 25, April 25, July 25 and October 25 of each year, commencing January 25, 2011 and ending on the maturity date.
Trade Date:    October 20, 2010
Original Issue Date:    October 25, 2010
Maturity Date:    October 25, 2018
Program:    Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A
Day Count Convention:    30/360
Public Offering Price:    100.00%
Denominations:    $1,000 and integral multiples thereof
Minimum Initial Investment Amount:    $1,000
Redemption:    Not redeemable
CUSIP No.:    65539AAA8
Currency:    U.S. dollars
Listing:    We intend to apply to list the notes on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “NMR/18”
Distribution Agent:    Nomura Securities International, Inc.
Calculation Agent:    Nomura Securities International, Inc.


Paying Agent and Transfer Agent:    Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas

Clearance and Settlement:

   DTC (including through its indirect participants Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg as described under “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the accompanying prospectus)

U.S. Tax Treatment:

   The holder agrees to treat the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes as specified under “United States Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus.
Terms Incorporated Into the Master Note:    All of the terms appearing above this item captioned “Terms Incorporated Into the Master Note” on the cover page of this pricing supplement.

Investing in the notes involves certain risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors beginning on page PS-4 of this pricing supplement, under “Risk Factors” of the accompanying prospectus and incorporated by reference into the accompanying prospectus before you invest in the notes.

We expect delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about the original issue date specified above.

The notes will be our unsecured obligations. We are not a bank, and the notes will not constitute deposits insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

 

     Price to Public   Agent’s
Commission
  Proceeds to
Issuer

Per Note

   100.00%   1.65%   98.35%

Total

   $8,000,000   $132,000   $7,868,000

Nomura Securities International, Inc. will initially offer the notes to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement and to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of 1.65% of the principal amount of the notes. If all of the notes are not sold at the original issue price, the distribution agent may change the offering price and the other selling terms. To the extent the distribution agent resells notes to a broker or dealer less a concession equal to the entire underwriting discount, such broker or dealer may be deemed to be an “underwriter” of the notes as such term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We estimate that our share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $39,000.

We may use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Nomura Securities International, Inc. or another of our affiliates may use this pricing supplement in market-making transactions in the notes after their initial sale. Unless we inform or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.

Nomura Securities International, Inc. is an affiliate of us and, as such, has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of NASD Rule 2720. Nomura Securities International, Inc. is not permitted to sell notes in this offering to any account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

Nomura Securities International, Inc. and/or its affiliates have performed, and in the future may provide, investment banking and advisory services for us from time to time for which they have received, and expect to receive, customary fees and commissions. Nomura Securities International, Inc. and its affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with, and perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

Nomura


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You should read this pricing supplement together with the prospectus dated September 30, 2010, relating to our Senior Global Medium-Term Notes, Series A, of which these notes are a part. In the event of any conflict, this pricing supplement will control.

This pricing supplement, together with the document 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 you may have received from us. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus dated September 30, 2010. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisors before you invest in the notes. You may access the prospectus on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows:

 

   

Prospectus dated September 30, 2010:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1163653/000119312510220937/df3asr.htm

Our central index key, or “CIK,” on the SEC website is 0001383951.

 

PS-3


ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NOTES

 

An investment in your notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus, dated September 30, 2010. Please note that in this section entitled “Additional Risk Factors Specific to Your Notes,” references to “holders” mean those who own notes registered in their own names, on the books that we, Nomura or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in notes registered in street name or in notes issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or another depositary. Owners of beneficial interests in the notes should read the section entitled “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the accompanying prospectus. Your notes are not secured debt. You should carefully consider whether the notes are suited to your particular circumstances. This pricing supplement should be read together with the accompanying prospectus, dated September 30, 2010. The information in the accompanying prospectus is supplemented by, and to the extent inconsistent therewith replaced and superseded by, the information in this pricing supplement. This section describes the most significant risks relating to an investment in the notes. We urge you to read all of the following information about all of the risks associated with the notes, together with the other information in this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in the notes.

Because Nomura is a Holding Company, Your Right to Receive Payments on Nomura’s Guarantee of the Notes is Subordinated to the Liabilities of Nomura’s Other Subsidiaries

The ability of Nomura to make payments, as guarantor, on the notes, depends upon Nomura’s receipt of dividends, loan payments and other funds from subsidiaries. In addition, if any of Nomura’s subsidiaries becomes insolvent, the direct creditors of that subsidiary will have a prior claim on its assets, and Nomura’s rights and the rights of Nomura’s creditors, including your rights as an owner of the notes, will be subject to that prior claim.

Nomura’s subsidiaries are subject to various laws and regulations that may restrict Nomura’s ability to receive dividends, loan payments and other funds from subsidiaries. In Japan, Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., as a securities company, is required to maintain an “adjusted capital” ratio at specified levels. In the United States, Nomura Securities International, Inc. is subject to certain minimum net capital requirements and capital adequacy requirements. In the United Kingdom, Nomura International plc is regulated by the U.K. Financial Services Authority and is subject to the capital requirements of that authority. In addition, certain of Nomura’s other subsidiaries are subject to securities and banking regulations and capital adequacy requirements promulgated by the regulatory and exchange authorities of the countries in which such subsidiaries operate. As a result, Nomura’s ability to receive funds from those subsidiaries may be limited, and Nomura’s ability to pay on its guarantee of the notes may also be limited.

You Are Subject to Nomura’s Credit Risk, and the Value of Your Notes May Be Adversely Affected by Negative Changes in the Market’s Perception of Nomura’s Creditworthiness

By purchasing the notes, you are making, in part, a decision about Nomura’s ability to repay you the amounts you are owed pursuant to the terms of your notes. Substantially all of our assets will consist of loans to and other receivables from Nomura and its subsidiaries. Our obligations under your notes are also guaranteed by Nomura. Therefore, as a practical matter, our ability to repay you amounts we owe on the notes is directly or indirectly linked solely to Nomura’s creditworthiness. In addition, the market’s perception of Nomura’s creditworthiness generally will directly impact the value of your notes. If Nomura becomes or is perceived as becoming less creditworthy following your purchase of notes, you should expect that they will decline in value in the secondary market, perhaps substantially. If you attempt to sell your notes in the secondary market in such an environment, you may incur a substantial loss.

In addition, notes that are rated below BBB- by Standard & Poor’s or Baa3 by Moody’s are generally considered by the market to be non-investment grade securities and are deemed to be speculative investments. If Nomura’s credit rating is downgraded below these levels, there may be a significant adverse effect on the price for which you may sell your notes in the secondary market.

 

PS-4


There May Not Be an Active Trading Market for the Notes—Sales in the Secondary Market May Result in Significant Losses

We intend to apply to list the notes on the NYSE under the symbol “NMR/18.” However, there may be little or no secondary market for the notes. Nomura Securities International, Inc. and other affiliates of ours currently intend to make a market for the notes, although they are not required to do so. Nomura Securities International, Inc. or any other affiliate of ours may stop any such market-making activities at any time. Even if a secondary market for the notes develops, it may not provide significant liquidity or trade at prices advantageous to you. We expect that transaction costs in any secondary market would be high. As a result, the difference between bid and ask prices for your notes in any secondary market could be substantial.

Furthermore, if you sell your notes, you will likely be charged a commission for secondary market transactions, or the price will likely reflect a dealer discount.

If you sell your notes before the stated maturity date, you may have to do so at a substantial discount from the issue price and as a result you may suffer substantial losses.

The Market Value of Your Notes May Be Influenced by Many Unpredictable Factors

In addition to our and Nomura’s creditworthiness, a number of other economic and market factors will influence the value of the notes. The following factors, which are beyond our control, may influence the market value of your notes:

 

   

supply and demand for the notes, including inventory positions with Nomura Securities International, Inc. or any other market-maker;

 

   

the time to maturity of the notes;

 

   

interest and yield rates in the market generally and expectations about future interest and yield rates; and

 

   

economic, financial, political, regulatory or judicial events that affect the debt markets generally.

These factors may influence the market value of your notes if you sell your notes before maturity. If you sell your notes prior to maturity, you may receive less than the principal amount of your notes.

Non-U.S. Investors May Be Subject to Certain Additional Risks

The notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars. If you are a non-U.S. investor who purchases the notes with a currency other than U.S. dollars, changes in rates of exchange may have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of your investment.

The accompanying prospectus contains a general description of certain U.S. tax considerations relating to the notes under “United States Taxation.” If you are a non-U.S. investor, you should consult your tax advisors as to the consequences, under the tax laws of the country where you are resident for tax purposes, of acquiring, holding and disposing of the notes and receiving payments of principal or other amounts under the notes.

Certain Considerations for Insurance Companies and Employee Benefit Plans

Any insurance company or fiduciary of a pension plan or other employee benefit plan that is subject to the prohibited transaction rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, which we call “ERISA”, or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including an IRA or a Keogh plan (or a governmental plan to which similar prohibitions apply), and that is considering purchasing the notes with the assets of the insurance company or the assets of such a plan, should consult with its counsel regarding whether the purchase or holding of the notes could become a “prohibited transaction” under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any substantially similar prohibition in light of the representations a purchaser or holder in any of the above categories is deemed to make by purchasing and holding the notes. This is discussed in more detail under “Employee Retirement Income Security Act” below.

 

PS-5


RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND COMPUTATION THEREOF

The following table sets forth the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, and the amount of fixed charge deficiency, of Nomura and its consolidated subsidiaries for the three months ended June 30, 2010, in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

 

     Three months ended
June 30, 2010
 
     (Yen in millions)  

Earnings:

  

Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees

   ¥ 6,020   

Add: Fixed charges

     54,192   

Distributed income of equity investees

     2,676   
        

Earnings as defined

   ¥ 62,888   
        

Fixed charges(1)

   ¥ 54,192   

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     1.2   

 

(1) For the purpose of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, and the amount of fixed charge deficiency, earnings consist of pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees, plus (i) fixed charges and (ii) distributed income of equity investees. Fixed charges consist of interest expense. Fixed charges exclude premium and discount amortization as well as interest expense, which are included in Net gain (loss) on trading. Fixed charges also exclude interest within rent expense, which is insignificant.

 

PS-6


EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

This section is only relevant to you if you are an insurance company or the fiduciary of a pension plan or an employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan, an IRA or a Keogh Plan) proposing to invest in the notes.

The U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), prohibit certain transactions (“prohibited transactions”) involving the assets of an employee benefit plan that is subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (including individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and other plans described in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code) (a “Plan”) and certain persons who are “parties in interest” (within the meaning of ERISA) or “disqualified persons” (within the meaning of the Code) with respect to the Plan; governmental plans may be subject to similar prohibitions unless an exemption applies to the transaction. The assets of a Plan may include assets held in the general account of an insurance company that are deemed “plan assets” under ERISA or assets of certain investment vehicles in which the Plan invests. Each of Nomura and certain of its affiliates may be considered a “party in interest” or a “disqualified person” with respect to many Plans, and, accordingly, prohibited transactions may arise if the notes are acquired by or on behalf of a Plan unless those notes are acquired and held pursuant to an available exemption. In general, available exemptions are: transactions effected on behalf of that Plan by a “qualified professional asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 84-14) or an “in-house asset manager” (prohibited transaction exemption 96-23), transactions involving insurance company general accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 95-60), transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts (prohibited transaction exemption 90-1), transactions involving bank collective investment funds (prohibited transaction exemption 91-38) and transactions with service providers under Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code where the Plan receives no less and pays no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code). The person making the decision on behalf of a Plan or a governmental plan shall be deemed, on behalf of itself and the plan, by purchasing and holding the notes, or exercising any rights related thereto, to represent that (a) the plan will receive no less and pay no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(f)(10) of the Code) in connection with the purchase and holding of the notes, (b) none of the purchase, holding or disposition of the notes or the exercise of any rights related to the notes will result in a nonexempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code (or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation), and (c) neither Nomura nor any of its affiliates is a “fiduciary” (within the meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA) or, with respect to a governmental plan, under any similar applicable law or regulation) with respect to the purchaser or holder in connection with such person’s acquisition, disposition or holding of the notes, or as a result of any exercise by Nomura or any of its affiliates of any rights in connection with the notes, and no advice provided by Nomura or any of its affiliates has formed a primary basis for any investment decision by or on behalf of such purchaser or holder in connection with the notes and the transactions contemplated with respect to the notes.

 

If you are an insurance company or the fiduciary of a pension plan or an employee benefit plan (including a governmental plan, an IRA or a Keogh plan), and propose to invest in the notes, you should consult your legal counsel.

 

PS-7