Term sheet
To prospectus dated November 21, 2008,
prospectus supplement dated November 21, 2008 and
product supplement no. 144-A-IV dated January 29, 2010

  Term Sheet to
Product Supplement No. 144-A-IV
Registration Statement No. 333-155535
Dated February 26, 2010; Rule 433

     

Structured 
Investments 

      $
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF due September 30, 2011

General

Key Terms

Index Fund:

The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (the “Index Fund”)

Automatic Call:

If the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on any Review Date is greater than or equal to the Trigger Price, the notes will be automatically called for a cash payment per note that will vary depending on the applicable Review Date and call premium.

Trigger Price:

100% of the Initial Share Price for each Review Date

Payment if Called:

For every $1,000 principal amount note, you will receive one payment of $1,000 plus a call premium calculated as follows:

• at least 9.00%* x $1,000 if called on the first Review Date
• at least 18.00%* x $1,000 if called on the second Review Date
• at least 27.00%* x $1,000 if called on the final Review Date

*The actual percentages applicable to the first, second and final Review Dates will be determined on the pricing date but will not be less than 9.00%, 18.00% and 27.00%, respectively.

Payment at Maturity:

If the notes are not called and a mandatory redemption is not triggered, your principal is protected at maturity against up to a 30% decline of the closing price of one share of the Index Fund. If the Final Share Price has declined by up to 30% from the Initial Share Price, you will receive the principal amount of your notes at maturity. If the Final Share Price declines from the Initial Share Price by more than 30%, you will lose 1% of the principal amount of your notes for every 1% that the Final Share Price declines beyond the Initial Share Price and your payment at maturity per $1,000 principal amount note will be calculated as follows:

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

If the notes are not automatically called, you will lose at least 30% of your investment at maturity if the Final Share Price declines from the Initial Share Price by more than 30%.

Contingent Buffer Amount:

30%

Share Return:

Final Share Price – Initial Share Price
Initial Share Price

Initial Share Price:

The closing price of one share of the Index Fund on the pricing date, divided by the Share Adjustment Factor

Final Share Price:

The closing price of one share of the Index Fund on the final Review Date

Review Dates:

September 27, 2010 (first Review Date), March 28, 2011 (second Review Date) and September 27, 2011 (final Review Date)

Share Adjustment Factor:

Set equal to 1.0 on the pricing date and subject to adjustment under certain circumstances. See “Description of Notes — Payment at Maturity” and “General Terms of Notes — Anti-Dilution Adjustments” in the accompanying product supplement 144-A-IV for further information about these adjustments.

Maturity Date:

September 30, 2011

CUSIP:

48124AJS7

Subject to postponement in the event of a market disruption event and as described under “Description of Notes — Payment at Maturity” or “Description of Notes — Automatic Call,” as applicable, in the accompanying product supplement no. 144-A-IV.

Investing in the Semi-Annual Review Notes involves a number of risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page PS-6 of the accompanying product supplement no. 144-A-IV 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. 144-A-IV 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 supplement and prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


 

Price to Public (1)

Fees and Commissions (2)

Proceeds to Us


Per note

$

$

$


Total

$

$

$


(1)

The price to the public includes the estimated cost of hedging our obligations under the notes through one or more of our affiliates.

(2)

If the notes priced today, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., which we refer to as JPMSI, acting as agent for JPMorgan Chase & Co., would receive a commission of approximately $39.30 per $1,000 principal amount note and would use a portion of that commission to allow selling concessions to other dealers of approximately $15.00 per $1,000 principal amount note. The concessions of approximately $15.00 include concessions to be allowed to selling dealers and concessions to be allowed to any arranging dealer. This commission includes the projected profits that our affiliates expect to realize, some of which may be allowed to other dealers, for assuming risks inherent in hedging our obligations under the notes. The actual commission received by JPMSI may be more or less than $39.30 and will depend on market conditions on the pricing date. In no event will the commission received by JPMSI, which includes concessions to be and other amounts that may be allowed to other dealers, exceed $40.00 per $1,000 principal amount note. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” beginning on page PS-56 of the accompanying product supplement no. 144-A-IV.

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.

February 26, 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. 144-A-IV dated January 29, 2010. 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. 144-A-IV, 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.

Selected Purchase Considerations


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF

 TS-1

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; the degree, if any, to which income (including any mandated accruals) realized by Non-U.S. Holders should be subject to withholding tax; and whether these instruments are or should be subject to the “constructive ownership” regime, which very generally can operate to recharacterize certain long-term capital gain as ordinary income that is subject to an interest charge. 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.

The discussion in the preceding paragraph, when read in combination with the section entitled “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying product supplement, constitutes the full opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of notes.

Selected Risk Considerations

An investment in the notes involves significant risks. Investing in the notes is not equivalent to investing directly in the Index Fund, the Underlying Index or any of the equity securities held by the Index Fund or included in the Underlying Index. These risks are explained in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the accompanying product supplement no. 144-A-IV dated January 29, 2010.


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF

 TS-2

JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF

 TS-3

Hypothetical Examples of Amounts Payable upon Automatic Call or at Maturity

The following table illustrates the hypothetical simple total return (i.e., not compounded) on the notes that could be realized on the applicable Review Date for a range of movements in the closing price of one share of the Index Fund as shown under the column “Closing Price Appreciation/Depreciation at Review Date.” The following table assumes a hypothetical Trigger Price equal to a hypothetical Initial Share Price of $43.00. The table assumes that the percentages used to calculate the call price applicable to the first, second and final Review Dates are 9.00%, 18.00% and 27.00%, respectively, regardless of the appreciation of the closing price of one share of the Index Fund, which may be significant; the actual percentages will be determined on the pricing date. There will be only one payment on the notes whether called or at maturity. An entry of “N/A” indicates that the notes would not be called on the applicable Review Date and no payment would be made for such date. The hypothetical returns set forth below are for illustrative purposes only and may not be the actual total returns applicable to a purchaser of the notes.


 

Closing Price

 

 

 

 

Appreciation /

Total Return at

Total Return at

Total Return at

 

Depreciation at

First

Second

Final

Closing Price

Review Date

Review Date

Review Date

Review Date


$77.400

80.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$73.100

70.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$68.800

60.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$64.500

50.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$60.200

40.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$55.900

30.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$51.600

20.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$47.300

10.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$43.000

0.00%

9.00%

18.00%

27.00%

$42.957

-0.10%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$40.850

-5.00%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$38.700

-10.00%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$36.550

-15.00%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$34.400

-20.00%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$30.100

-30.00%

N/A

N/A

0.00%

$29.670

-31.00%

N/A

N/A

-31.00%

$25.800

-40.00%

N/A

N/A

-40.00%

$21.500

-50.00%

N/A

N/A

-50.00%

$17.200

-60.00%

N/A

N/A

-60.00%

$12.900

-70.00%

N/A

N/A

-70.00%

$8.600

-80.00%

N/A

N/A

-80.00%

$4.300

-90.00%

N/A

N/A

-90.00%

$0.000

-100.00%

N/A

N/A

-100.00%


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

Example 1: The closing price of one share of the Index Fund increases from the Initial Share Price of $43.00 to a closing price of $47.30 on the first Review Date. Because the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on the first Review Date of $47.30 is greater than the corresponding Trigger Price of $43.00, the notes are automatically called, and the investor receives a single payment of $1,090 per $1,000 principal amount note.

Example 2: The closing price of one share of the Index Fund decreases from the Initial Share Price of $43.00 to a closing price of $40.85 on the first Review Date and $36.55 on the second Review Date and increases from the Initial Share Price of $43.00 to a closing price of $64.50 on the final Review Date. Although the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on the first two Review Dates ($40.85 and $36.55) is less than the corresponding Trigger Price of $43.00, because the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on the final Review Date ($64.50) is greater than the corresponding Trigger Price of $43.00, the notes are automatically called, and the investor receives a single payment of $1,270 per $1,000 principal amount note.

Example 3: The closing price of one share of the Index Fund decreases from the Initial Share Price of $43.00 to a closing price of $40.85 on the first Review Date, $36.55 on the second Review Date and $30.10 on the final Review Date. Because (a) the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on each of the Review Dates ($40.85, $36.55 and $30.10) is less than the corresponding Trigger Price of $43.00, and (b) the Final Share Price has not declined by more than 30% from the Initial Share Price, the notes are not automatically called and the payment at maturity is the principal amount of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount note.

Example 4: The closing price of one share of the Index Fund decreases from the Initial Share Price of $43.00 to a closing price of $40.85 on the first Review Date, $36.55 on the second Review Date and $21.50 on the final Review Date. Because (a) the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on each of the Review Dates ($40.85, $36.55 and $21.50) is less than the corresponding Trigger Price of $43.00, and (b) the Final Share Price is more than 30% below the Initial Share Price, the notes are not automatically called and the investor receives a payment at maturity that is less than the principal amount for each $1,000 principal amount note, calculated as follows:

$1,000 + ($1,000 x -50%) = $500


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF

 TS-4

The following graph demonstrates the hypothetical total return on the notes upon automatic call or at maturity for a subset of the Share Returns detailed in the table on the previous page (-40% to 40%). The numbers appearing in the graph have been rounded for ease of analysis.

Historical Information

The following graph sets forth the historical performance of the Index Fund based on the weekly closing price of one share of the Index Fund from May 26, 2006 through February 19, 2010. The closing price of one share of the Index Fund on February 25, 2010 was $43.42. We obtained the closing prices of the Index Fund below from Bloomberg Financial Markets. We make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information obtained from Bloomberg Financial Markets. The historical prices of the Index Fund should not be taken as an indication of future performance, and no assurance can be given as to the closing price of one share of the Index Fund on any Review Date. We cannot give you assurance that the performance of the Index Fund will result in the return of any of your initial investment.


JPMorgan Structured Investments —
Semi-Annual Review Notes Linked to the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF

 TS-5