Term sheet
To prospectus dated November 21, 2008,
prospectus supplement dated November 21, 2008 and
product supplement no. 146-A-I dated November 24, 2008

  Term Sheet to
Product Supplement No. 146-A-I
Registration Statement No. 333-155535
Dated January 20, 2010; Rule 433

     

Structured 
Investments 

      $
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar due April 27, 2010

General

Key Terms

Basket: A weighted basket of four currencies (each a “Reference Currency,” and together, the “Reference Currencies”) that measures the performance of the Reference Currencies relative to the U.S. dollar (the “Basket”).
Reference Currency Weights: The following table sets forth the Reference Currencies, the Starting Spot Rate for each Reference Currency, the applicable Reuters Page and the weighting of each Reference Currency:

 

Reference Currency
Starting Spot Rate
Reuters Page
Percentage Weight of Basket
 

 

South Korean won (KRW)

 

KFTC18

43.6508%

 

New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

 

TAIFX1

28.5714%

 

South African rand (ZAR)

 

ECB37=(EUR/USD)/(EUR/ZAR)

13.8889%

 

Indian rupee (INR)

 

RBIB

13.8889%

 

The Starting Spot Rate for each Reference Currency will be equal to one divided by the amount of such Reference Currency per U.S. dollar determined by the calculation agent in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner on the pricing date taking into account the quotient of one divided by the intra-day rates displayed on the applicable Reuters page for the applicable Reference Currency or such exchange rate for the applicable Reference Currency determined by reference to certain intra-day trades. For information about the risks related to this discretion, see “Selected Risk Considerations — Potential Conflicts” on page TS-3 of this term sheet.

Base Currency:

The U.S. dollar

Upside Leverage Factor:

One (1). There is no upside return enhancement.

Payment at Maturity:

At maturity, you will receive a cash payment, for each $1,000 principal amount note, that will be calculated as follows:

$1,000 + ($1,000 x Basket Return)

If the Ending Basket Level declines from the Starting Basket Level, you lose 1% of the principal amount of your notes for every 1% that the Basket declines beyond the Starting Basket Level.

You will lose some or all of your investment at maturity if the Ending Basket Level declines from the Starting Basket Level.

Basket Return:

Ending Basket Level – Starting Basket Level
              Starting Basket Level

Starting Basket Level:

Set equal to 100 on the pricing date, which is expected to be on or about January 22, 2010

Ending Basket Level:

The Basket Closing Level on the Observation Date

Basket Closing Level:

The Basket Closing Level on the Observation Date will be calculated as follows:

100 x [1 + (KRW Return * 43.6508%) + (TWD Return * 28.5714%) + (ZAR Return * 13.8889%) + (INR Return * 13.8889%)]

The KRW Return, TWD Return, INR Return and ZAR Return reflects the performance of the applicable Reference Currency relative to the U.S. dollar, calculated in terms of a fraction, the numerator of which is the Spot Rate of such Reference Currency on the Observation Date minus the Starting Spot Rate and the denominator of which is the Starting Spot Rate. With respect to the Reference Currencies (other than the South African rand), the Spot Rate of a Reference Currency on a given date that is expressed in terms of a number of U.S. dollars per one unit of Reference Currency and equal to one divided by the applicable rate reported by Reuters Group PLC on (a) for the KRW Return, Reuters page KFTC18, (b) for the TWD Return, Reuters page TAIFX1 and (c) for the INR Return, Reuters page RBIB, each at approximately 6:00 p.m., New York City time on such date of determination. With respect to the South African rand, the Spot Rate of a Reference Currency on a given date is expressed as one divided by a fraction, the numerator of which is a number of European Union euros per one U.S. dollar as reported by Reuters Group PLC on page ECB37 and the denominator of which is a number of European Union euros per South African rand as reported by Reuters Group PLC on page ECB37, at approximately 6:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date.

For additional information, see “Description of Notes — Payment at Maturity” in the accompanying product supplement no. 146-A-I.

Observation Date:

April 22, 2010*

Maturity Date:

April 27, 2010*

CUSIP:

48124AFN2

*

Subject to postponement as described under “Description of Notes — Payment at Maturity” in the accompanying product supplement no. 146-A-I.

Investing in the Return Notes involves a number of risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-13 of the accompanying product supplement no. 146-A-I and “Selected Risk Considerations” beginning on page TS-2 of this term sheet.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering to which this term sheet relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and the other documents relating to this offering that JPMorgan Chase & Co. has filed with the SEC for more complete information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. and this offering. You may get these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, JPMorgan Chase & Co., any agent or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus, the prospectus supplement, product supplement no. 146-A-I and this term sheet if you so request by calling toll-free 866-535-9248.

You may revoke your offer to purchase the notes at any time prior to the time at which we accept such offer by notifying the applicable agent. We reserve the right to change the terms of, or reject any offer to purchase, the notes prior to their issuance. In the event of any changes to the terms of the notes, we will notify you and you will be asked to accept such changes in connection with your purchase. You may also choose to reject such changes in which case we may reject your offer to purchase.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the accuracy or the adequacy of this term sheet or the accompanying prospectus supplements and prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


 

Price to Public (1)

Fees and Commissions (1)

Proceeds to Us


Per note

$

$

$


Total

$

$

$


(1)

The price to the public and fees and commissions include the expected cost of hedging our obligations under the notes through one or more of our affiliates. This hedging cost includes the profit our affiliates expect to realize in consideration for assuming the risks inherent in providing such hedge. J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., which we refer to as JPMSI, acting as agent for JPMorgan Chase & Co., will receive a commission of 0.20% per $1,000 principal amount note. For additional related information, please see “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page 24 of product supplement no. 146-A-I.

The agent for this offering, JPMSI, is an affiliate of ours. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” on the last page of this term sheet.

The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

January 20, 2010


Additional Terms Specific to the Notes

You should read this term sheet together with the prospectus dated November 21, 2008, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated November 21, 2008 relating to our Series E medium-term notes of which these notes are a part, and the more detailed information contained in product supplement no. 146-A-I dated November 24, 2008. This term sheet, together with the documents listed below, contains the terms of the notes and supersedes all other 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, fact sheets, brochures or other educational materials of ours. You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying product supplement no. 146-A-I, as the notes involve risks not associated with conventional debt securities. We urge you to consult your investment, legal, tax, accounting and other advisers before you invest in the notes.

You may access these documents on the SEC website at www.sec.gov as follows (or if such address has changed, by reviewing our filings for the relevant date on the SEC website):

Our Central Index Key, or CIK, on the SEC website is 19617. As used in this term sheet, the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refers to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Additional Key Terms

Selected Purchase Considerations

In addition, in December 2007, Treasury and the IRS released a notice requesting comments on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of “prepaid forward contracts” and similar instruments, which might include the notes. The notice focuses in particular on whether to require holders of these instruments to accrue income over the term of their investment. It also asks for comments on a number of related topics, including the character of income or loss with respect to these instruments; the relevance of factors such as the nature of the underlying property to which the instruments are linked; and the degree, if any, to which income (including any mandated accruals) realized by Non-U.S. Holders should be subject to withholding tax. While the notice requests comments on appropriate transition rules and effective dates, any Treasury regulations or other guidance promulgated after consideration of these issues could materially and adversely affect the tax consequences of an investment in the notes, possibly with retroactive effect. Both U.S. and Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the notes, including possible alternative treatments and the issues presented by this notice. Non-U.S. Holders should also note that they may be withheld upon at a rate of up to 30% unless they have submitted a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or otherwise satisfied the applicable documentation requirements.


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-1

Selected Risk Considerations

An investment in the notes involves significant risks. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Reference Currencies or any contracts related to the Reference Currencies. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the accompanying product supplement no. 146-A-I dated November 24, 2008.


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-2

JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-3

What Is the Payment at Maturity on the Notes, Assuming a Range of Performances for the Basket?

The table and examples below illustrate the hypothetical total return at maturity of the notes. The “total return” as used in this term sheet is the number, expressed as a percentage, that results from comparing the payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount note to $1,000. The hypothetical total returns set forth below are for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual payment at maturity applicable to a purchaser of the notes. You should consider carefully whether the notes are suitable to your investment goals. The numbers appearing in the table, graph and examples below have been rounded for ease of analysis.


Ending Basket
Level

Basket
Return

Total Return


180

80%

80%

170

70%

70%

160

60%

60%

150

50%

50%

140

40%

40%

130

30%

30%

120

20%

20%

110

10%

10%

105

5%

5%

100

0%

0%

90

-10%

-10%

80

-20%

-20%

70

-30%

-30%

60

-40%

-40%

50

-50%

-50%

40

-60%

-60%

30

-70%

-70%

20

-80%

-80%



Hypothetical Examples of Amounts Payable at Maturity

The following examples illustrate how the total returns set forth in the table above are calculated.

Example 1: The level of the Basket increases from the Starting Basket Level of 100 to an Ending Basket Level of 120.
Because the Ending Basket Level of 120 is greater than the Starting Basket Level of 100, your payment at maturity is equal to $1,200 per $1,000 principal amount note, calculated as follows:

$1,000 + [$1,000 x (120-100)/100] = $1,200

Example 2: The level of the Basket decreases from the Starting Basket Level of 100 to an Ending Basket Level of 60.
Because the Ending Basket Level of 60 is lower than the Starting Basket Level of 100, your payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount note is $600 per $1,000 principal amount note, calculated as follows:

$1,000 + [$1,000 x (60-100)/100] = $600


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-4

Historical Information

The first four graphs below show the historical weekly performance of each Reference Currency expressed in terms of the conventional market quotation (in each case the amount of the applicable Reference Currency that can be exchanged for one U.S. dollar, which we refer to in this term sheet as the exchange rate), as shown on Bloomberg Financial Markets at approximately 5:00 p.m., New York City time, from January 7, 2005 through January 15, 2010. The exchange rates of the South Korean won, the New Taiwan dollar, the South African rand and the Indian rupee, at approximately 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 19, 2010, as shown on Bloomberg Financial Markets, were 1127.3000, 31.7800, 7.4025 and 45.8050, respectively.

The exchange rates displayed in the graphs below are for illustrative purposes only and do not form part of the calculation of the Basket Return. The value of the Basket, and thus the Basket Return, increases when the individual Reference Currencies appreciate in value against the U.S. dollar. Therefore, the Basket Return is calculated using Spot Rates for each currency expressed as one divided by the amount of Reference Currency per one U.S. dollar, which is the inverse of the conventional market quotation for each Reference Currency set forth in the first four graphs on the following page.

The last graph on the following page shows the weekly performance of the Basket from January 7, 2005 through January 15, 2010, assuming that the Basket Closing Level on January 7, 2005 was 100, that each Reference Currency had the weighting specified on the front cover of this term sheet and that the spot rates of each Reference Currency at approximately 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the relevant dates were the Spot Rates on such dates. The spot rates and the historical weekly Basket performance data in such graph were determined by dividing one by the rates reported by Bloomberg Financial Markets at approximately 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the relevant dates and may not be indicative of the Basket performance using the Spot Rates of the Reference Currencies at approximately 6:00 p.m., New York City time, that would be derived from the applicable Reuters page. 


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-5

The Spot Rates of the South Korean won, the New Taiwan dollar, the South African rand and the Indian rupee, at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on January 19, 2010, were 0.00089, 0.03147, 0.13455 and 0.02192, respectively, calculated in the manner set forth under “Key Terms — Basket Closing Level” on the cover of this term sheet (except that the Spot Rates were determined at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, instead of 6:00 p.m., New York City time).

We obtained the data needed to construct the graph which displays the weekly performance of the Basket from Bloomberg Financial Markets, and we obtained the exchange rates and the denominators used to calculate the Spot Rates from Reuters Group PLC. We make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg Financial Markets or Reuters Group PLC. The historical performance of each Reference Currency and the Basket should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the Spot Rate of any of the Reference Currencies on the pricing date or the Observation Date. We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Basket will result in the return of more than the principal amount of your notes.

Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)

We own, directly or indirectly, all of the outstanding equity securities of JPMSI, the agent for this offering. The net proceeds received from the sale of the notes will be used, in part, by JPMSI or one of its affiliates in connection with hedging our obligation under the notes. In accordance with NASD Rule 2720, JPMSI may not make sales in this offering to any of its discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the customer.


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Return Notes Linked to the Performance of a Weighted Basket of Four Currencies Relative to the U.S. Dollar

 TS-6